These exercises require skills from earlier

Chapter 1, Problem 111IE

(choose chapter or problem)

Hydrogen cyanide, HCN, is a poisonous gas. The lethal dose is approximately 300 mg HCN per kilogram of air when inhaled. (a) Calculate the amount of HCN that gives the lethal dose in a small laboratory room measuring \(12 \times 15 \times 8.0 \mathrm{ft}\). The density of air at \(26^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) is \(0.00118 \mathrm{g} / \mathrm{cm}^{3}\). (b) If the HCN is formed by reaction of NaCN with an acid such as \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\), what mass of NaCN gives the lethal dose in the room?

\(2 \mathrm{NaCN}(s)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}(a q) \longrightarrow \mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}(a q)+2 \mathrm{HCN}(g)\)

(c) HCN forms when synthetic fibers containing Orlon® or Acrilan® burn. Acrilan® has an empirical formula of CH2CHCN, so HCN is 50.9% of the formula by mass. A rug measures \(12 \times 15 \mathrm{ft}\) and contains 30 oz of Acrilan® fibers per square yard of carpet. If the rug burns, will a lethal dose of HCN be generated in the room? Assume that the yield of HCN from the fibers is 20% and that the carpet is 50% consumed.