Carbon monoxide gas, CO\text{CO}CO, reacts with hydrogen gas, H2\text{H}_2H2, to produce methanol vapor, CH3OH\text{CH}_3\text{OH}CH3OH. The reaction is reversible. Write the balanced symbol equation for this reaction.
The conditions used to make methanol in this industrial process are:
- a pressure of 50 atmospheres
- a temperature of 250 ∘C250\ ^\circ\text{C}250 ∘C.
The forward reaction is exothermic.
A chemical plant increases the temperature used to 350 ∘C350\ ^\circ\text{C}350 ∘C.
What happens to the rate of the reaction when the temperature is increased?
The plant manager thinks that the increase in temperature will increase the yield of methanol. Is the manager correct? Explain your answer.
The plant wants to reduce the cost of operating the process and decides to decrease the pressure used to 20 atmospheres. Write about two disadvantages of using a lower pressure to make methanol.
Sodium chloride can be prepared in the laboratory by neutralizing sodium hydroxide solution with dilute hydrochloric acid using a titration method, as shown in the diagram.
The student adds an indicator to the sodium hydroxide solution in a conical flask, then adds dilute hydrochloric acid from a burette until the indicator changes color. The student then crystallises the solution, but is left with impure sodium chloride crystals.
What should the student have done to obtain pure sodium chloride crystals?
Give one reason why this laboratory method to make sodium chloride is not used in industry.