Chapter 10, Problem 118RQ

The odor of a rotten egg is caused by hydrogen sulfide, ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$. Most people can detect it at a concentration of 0.15 ppb (parts per billion), meaning 0.15 L of ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$ in ${\text{10}}^{\text{9}}\text{L}$ of space. A typical student lab is $\text{42 }\times \text{ 24 }\times \text{ 8}\text{.6}$ ft.

(a) At STP, how many liters of ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$ could be present in a typical lab to have a concentration of 0.15 ppb?

(b) How many milliliters of $\text{0}\text{.100 }M{\text{ Na}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$ would be needed to generate the amount of ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$ in part (a) by the reaction of hydrochloric acid with sodium sulfide? (Assume that all of the ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$ generated enters the atmosphere.)