Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 14: Problem 102

A factory that specializes in the refinement of transition metals such as titanium was on fire. The firefighters were advised not to douse the fire with water. Why?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Firefighters were advised not to douse the fire with water because water can react with burning titanium, producing hydrogen gas which is highly flammable and could potentially cause an explosion.

Step by step solution

01

Identifying Chemical Properties of Transition Metals

Titanium is a transition metal. One of the defining chemical properties of transition metals is their ability to form stable compounds with other elements due to their variable oxidation state. In certain conditions, titanium can react with water.
02

Understanding the Reaction Between Titanium and Water

The reaction of titanium with water is quite exothermic, meaning it releases a considerable amount of energy. More importantly, this reaction could produce hydrogen gas which is highly flammable.
03

Connecting the Chemical Reaction to the Firefighting Situation

In the context of a fire, dousing the burning titanium with water could catalyze the formation of hydrogen gas, which might result in an explosion due to the intense heat, thus escalating the fire instead of putting it out.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

A flask contains a mixture of compounds \(A\) and \(B\). Both compounds decompose by first-order kinetics. The half-lives are 50.0 min for \(A\) and 18.0 min for \(B\). If the concentrations of \(\mathrm{A}\) and \(\mathrm{B}\) are equal initially, how long will it take for the concentration of \(\mathrm{A}\) to be four times that of \(\mathrm{B} ?\)

Distinguish between homogeneous catalysis and heterogeneous catalysis. Describe some important industrial processes that utilize heterogeneous catalysis.

Polyethylene is used in many items such as water pipes, bottles, electrical insulation, toys, and mailer envelopes. It is a polymer, a molecule with a very high molar mass made by joining many ethylene molecules (the basic unit is called a monomer) together (see p. 369 ). The initiation step is $$ \mathrm{R}_{2} \stackrel{k_{1}}{\longrightarrow} 2 \mathrm{R} \cdot \quad \text { initiation } $$ The \(\mathrm{R}\) - species (called a radical) reacts with an ethylene molecule \((\mathrm{M})\) to generate another radical $$ \mathrm{R} \cdot+\mathrm{M} \longrightarrow \mathrm{M}_{1} \cdot $$ Reaction of \(\mathrm{M}_{1}\). with another monomer leads to the growth or propagation of the polymer chain: $$ \mathrm{M}_{1} \cdot+\mathrm{M} \stackrel{k_{\mathrm{p}}}{\longrightarrow} \mathrm{M}_{2} \cdot \quad \text { propagation } $$ This step can be repeated with hundreds of monomer units. The propagation terminates when two radicals combine $$ \mathrm{M}^{\prime} \cdot+\mathrm{M}^{\prime \prime} \cdot \stackrel{k_{t}}{\longrightarrow} \mathrm{M}^{\prime}-\mathrm{M}^{\prime \prime} \quad \text { termination } $$ (a) The initiator used in the polymerization of ethylene is benzoyl peroxide \(\left[\left(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{COO}\right)_{2}\right]:\) $$ \left(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{COO}\right)_{2} \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{COO} \cdot $$ This is a first-order reaction. The half-life of benzoyl peroxide at \(100^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) is \(19.8 \mathrm{~min} .\) (a) Calculate the rate constant (in \(\min ^{-1}\) ) of the reaction. (b) If the half-life of benzoyl peroxide is \(7.30 \mathrm{~h}\) or \(438 \mathrm{~min},\) at \(70^{\circ} \mathrm{C},\) what is the activation energy (in \(\mathrm{kJ} / \mathrm{mol}\) ) for the decomposition of benzoyl peroxide? (c) Write the rate laws for the elementary steps in the above polymerization process and identify the reactant, product, and intermediates. (d) What condition would favor the growth of long high-molar-mass polyethylenes?

The reaction \(\mathrm{S}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{8}^{2-}+2 \mathrm{I}^{-} \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{SO}_{4}^{2-}+\mathrm{I}_{2}\) proceeds slowly in aqueous solution, but it can be catalyzed by the \(\mathrm{Fe}^{3+}\) ion. Given that \(\mathrm{Fe}^{3+}\) can oxidize \(\mathrm{I}^{-}\) and \(\mathrm{Fe}^{2+}\) can reduce \(\mathrm{S}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{8}^{2-},\) write a plausible two-step mechanism for this reaction. Explain why the uncatalyzed reaction is slow.

Consider the reaction $$ \mathrm{A} \longrightarrow \mathrm{B} $$ The rate of the reaction is \(1.6 \times 10^{-2} M / \mathrm{s}\) when the concentration of A is \(0.35 M\). Calculate the rate constant if the reaction is (a) first order in \(\mathrm{A},\) (b) second order in A.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

Read Explanation

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free