Chapter 7, Problem 15A

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The unbalanced chemical equation corresponding to the synthesis of methanol from carbon monoxide and hydrogen needs to be presented.

Concept Introduction:

• A chemical reaction is expressed as a chemical equation having reactants and products on left and right side of the reaction arrow respectively.

  $\text{Reactants }\to \text{ Products}$

• It also gives the physical state (solid (s), liquid (l), gas (g)) and the amount of reactants and products involved in the reaction.

Answer to Problem 15A

  $\text{CO(g)}+{\text{ H}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g) }\to {\text{ CH}}_{\text{3}}\text{OH (l) }$

Explanation of Solution

The given process involves the synthesis of methanol liquid from carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas. The reactants and products are:

Reactant:

  $\begin{array}{l}\text{Carbon monoxide, gas - CO}(\text{g})\\ {\text{Hydrogen, gas - H}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g)}\end{array}$

Products:

  ${\text{Methanol, liquid - CH}}_{\text{3}}\text{OH (l)}$

Unbalanced equation:

  $\text{CO(g)}+{\text{ H}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g) }\to {\text{ CH}}_{\text{3}}\text{OH (l) }$

Conclusion

Therefore, the unbalanced reaction will have gaseous carbon monoxide and hydrogen as the reactants with liquid methanol as the product.