Atom Economy Flashcards
Quantitative Chemistry (11 cards)
What is atom economy?
The percentage of reactants forming useful products in a chemical reaction.
Atom economy indicates how much mass of the reactants is wasted and how much becomes useful products.
How is atom economy calculated?
atom economy = (relative formula mass of desired products / relative formula mass of all reactants) × 100
This formula helps quantify the efficiency of a chemical reaction in terms of waste.
What does 100% atom economy indicate?
All atoms in the reactants have been converted into useful products.
A higher atom economy is associated with greener chemical processes.
Calculate the atom economy for the reaction CH₄(g) + H₂O(g) -> CO(g) + 3H₂(g)
17.6%
The calculation involves determining the mr of reactants and products.
Why is high atom economy better for profits and the environment?
It minimizes waste and resource use, making processes more sustainable and cost-effective.
Low atom economy leads to rapid depletion of resources and costly waste disposal.
What is a consequence of reactions with low atom economy?
They produce large amounts of waste materials that need disposal.
This unsustainable practice can lead to resource shortages and environmental issues.
What is a recommended solution for dealing with waste products?
Find a use for the waste products instead of disposing of them.
Utilizing by-products can enhance the sustainability of a reaction.
Which reactions typically have the highest atom economy?
Reactions that produce only one product have an atom economy of 100%.
The more products formed, the lower the atom economy tends to be.
What other factors should be considered when choosing a reaction besides atom economy?
Yield, rate of the reaction, and position of equilibrium for reversible reactions.
These factors can significantly influence the practicality of a chemical process.
Fill in the blank: A reaction with a low atom economy, that produces useful by-products, might also be used if _____ is accounted for.
yield or profitability
True or False: Low atom economy reactions are usually profitable.
False
The high cost of raw materials and waste disposal often makes these reactions unprofitable.
