Sodium sulfate, Na2SO4\text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4Na2SO4, is an important industrial compound widely used in the manufacture of detergents and paper pulp.
A chemical manufacturer evaluates two different chemical routes to synthesise sodium sulfate.
Route A – Reaction of sodium hydroxide with sulfuric acid:
2NaOH+H2SO4→Na2SO4+2H2O 2\text{NaOH} + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \rightarrow \text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4 + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} 2NaOH+H2SO4→Na2SO4+2H2ORoute B – Reaction of sodium carbonate with sulfuric acid:
Na2CO3+H2SO4→Na2SO4+H2O+CO2 \text{Na}_2\text{CO}_3 + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \rightarrow \text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4 + \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{CO}_2 Na2CO3+H2SO4→Na2SO4+H2O+CO2The manufacturer aims to establish the most sustainable process.
Using calculations of atom economy for both routes, explain which route the company should select to produce sodium sulfate sustainably.
Relative atomic mass (ArA_rAr): Na=23.0\text{Na} = 23.0Na=23.0, S=32.1\text{S} = 32.1S=32.1, O=16.0\text{O} = 16.0O=16.0, H=1.0\text{H} = 1.0H=1.0, C=12.0\text{C} = 12.0C=12.0
81 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Chemistry Improving processes and products. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.