Atom economy

• What is atom economy in industrial reactions?


  It is the percentage of reactants that form useful products.
• Why is atom economy important in industrial reactions?


  It determines how much of the reactants is converted into useful products.
• What is the formula for calculating atom economy?

  • Atom economy = (relative formula mass of desired products / relative formula mass of all reactants) × 100
• What does 100% atom economy signify?


  It means all atoms in the reactants are converted into useful products.
• How does a higher atom economy relate to environmental impact?


  A higher atom economy indicates a greener process with less waste.
• In the reaction CH₄(g) + H₂O(g) → CO(g) + 3H₂(g), what is the desired product?


  The desired product is hydrogen gas (H₂).
• How do you calculate the relative formula mass of CH₄?


  The relative formula mass of CH₄ is 16.
• What is the relative formula mass of H₂O?


  The relative formula mass of H₂O is 18.
• What is the total relative formula mass of the reactants in the reaction CH₄(g) + H₂O(g)?


  The total relative formula mass of the reactants is 34.
• What is the relative formula mass of the desired product, H₂, in the reaction CH₄(g) + H₂O(g) → CO(g) + 3H₂(g)?


  The relative formula mass of the desired product H₂ is 6.
• What is the atom economy of the reaction CH₄(g) + H₂O(g) → CO(g) + 3H₂(g)?


  The atom economy is 17.6%.
• What are the implications of high atom economy for industrial processes?


  • Reduces waste production
  • Increases sustainability
  • Enhances profitability
• Why are reactions with low atom economy considered unsustainable?


  They quickly use up resources and generate a lot of waste.
• What is a potential solution for waste produced in low atom economy reactions?


  Finding a use for the waste products instead of disposing of them.
• What type of reactions have the highest atom economy?


  Reactions that produce only one product have the highest atom economy.
• What other factors should be considered when choosing a reaction for product synthesis?

  • Yield
  • Rate of the reaction
  • Position of equilibrium for reversible reactions
• What should you do if asked about an unfamiliar industrial reaction in an exam?


  Apply the same principles of atom economy and related factors.
• In the reactions A and B producing NH₃, which reaction has a higher atom economy?


  Reaction B has a higher atom economy.
• How do you calculate the atom economy for reactions A and B producing NH₃?


  By using the formula for atom economy with the respective relative formula masses.
• What is the formula for atom economy?


  Atom economy = \frac{mr \text{ of desired products} \times 100}{mr \text{ of all reactants}}
• What does a low atom economy indicate in chemical processes?


  It indicates that a large proportion of reactants are wasted and not converted into desired products.
• In the reaction CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂, what is the aim of the process?


  The aim is to only make H₂.
• What is the significance of having multiple products in industrial processes?


  Multiple products lead to waste, which is common in industrial processes.
• In the example CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂, what percentage of reactants actually forms hydrogen?


  1. 35%
• How is the total molar mass calculated in the example provided?


  The total molar mass is calculated as 28 (for CO) + 18 (for H₂O) = 46.
• If the total molar mass is 46 and the molar mass of desired products is 2, what is the atom economy?


  Atom economy = \frac{2}{46} \times 100 = 4.35\%
• What happens to the remaining 95.65% of reactants in the example reaction?


  It is given off as waste.
• In the reaction N₂ + 3H₂ → NH₃, what is the desired product?


  Ammonia (NH₃)
• Why is it less profitable to have low atom economy in chemical production?


  Because raw materials are expensive and a lot of waste is produced.
• What are the implications of producing little amounts of product with low atom economy?


  It is less sustainable and leads to higher disposal costs for waste products.
• What is a suggested solution to improve atom economy in chemical reactions?


  Use a more efficient reaction.
• Why is it better to find a useful reaction rather than paying to dispose of waste?


  Finding a useful reaction reduces costs associated with waste disposal.