One tonne (1000 kg) of coal contains 1.6 % sulphur by mass. All of the sulphur burns to SO2, all of which is later oxidised and converted into H2SO4 in rain. Using S = 32, O = 16, H = 1, the maximum mass of H2SO4 formed is

JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3ev037

One tonne (1000 kg) of coal contains 1.6 % sulphur by mass. All of the sulphur burns to $SO X_{2}$ , all of which is later oxidised and converted into $H X_{2} SO X_{4}$ in rain. Using $S = 32$ , $O = 16$ , $H = 1$ , the maximum mass of $H X_{2} SO X_{4}$ formed is

Sulphur =

1000 \times 0.016 = 16 kg

= 0.50 kmol. Each S atom gives one

H X_{2} SO X_{4}

(98 g/mol), so mass =

0.50 \times 98 = 49 kg

. 32 kg is the mass of

SO X_{2}

(

0.5 \times 64

), a stage before the final acid.