Oxalic acid C2H2O4 is a metabolic product of many molds. Although oxalic acid is toxic to humans if ingested, many plants and vegetables contain significant amounts of oxalic acid or oxalate salts. In solution, oxalic acid can be oxidized by air via the following chemical equation: H2C2O4 (aq) + O2 (g) -> H2O2 (l) + 2 CO2 (g) If a plant metabolized enough oxalic acid to produce 3.2L of CO2​ on a day when the temperature was 29°C and the pressure was 752 mmHg,   a) how many grams of oxalic acid were converted to CO2​? b) Given that air is 21% oxygen, what volume of air was needed for the oxidation?

Chemistry by OpenStax (2015-05-04)
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Author:Klaus Theopold, Richard H Langley, Paul Flowers, William R. Robinson, Mark Blaser
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Chapter18: Representative Metals, Metalloids, And Nonmetals
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Oxalic acid C2H2O4 is a metabolic product of many molds. Although oxalic acid is toxic to humans if ingested, many plants and vegetables contain significant amounts of oxalic acid or oxalate salts. In solution, oxalic acid can be oxidized by air via the following chemical equation:


H2C2O4 (aq) + O2 (g) -> H2O2 (l) + 2 CO2 (g)

If a plant metabolized enough oxalic acid to produce 3.2L of CO2​ on a day when the temperature was 29°C and the pressure was 752 mmHg,

 

a) how many grams of oxalic acid were converted to CO2​?

b) Given that air is 21% oxygen, what volume of air was needed for the oxidation?

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