Questions tagged [decomposition]

For questions about the decomposition of any chemical species, under any certain conditions.

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Pseudo rate equation for catalyzed decompostion of hydrogen peroxide

I am conducting an experiment in which I will be adding a catalyst to a solution of Hydrogen peroxide and will measure its concentration over a range of time by taking samples of the solution every $5$...
Hardik Patil's user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
99 views

What is the temperature at which sodium hydroxide decomposes at? And how would you collect the condensation? [closed]

I don't think this is an extremely tough question, but I can't really find that much information online on this reaction. I found a video about the decomposition of calcium hydroxide, though I'm not ...
E.X.'s user avatar
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1 answer
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Would the partial pressure of O2 in the system affect the rate of the decomposition of H2O2?

In my Bio 1 lab we studied the way catalase catalyzes the decomposition of H2O2 and at the end it asked me what conditions would affect the rate of the reaction. It was the type of question that ...
DiMaBean's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
99 views

Can anhydrous magnesium sulfate decompose at temperatures lower than the expected temperature of 1,124°C; is this what happened?

Context I am trying to synthesize and isolate boric acid from borax. I know that boric acid is less soluble in water than the NaCl that will be in the solution so it will precipitate out more readily, ...
Peter Williams's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
209 views

Why does sodium hydrogen carbonate decompose into sodium carbonate, water vapour, and carbon dioxide?

Why is the reaction for sodium hydrogen carbonate: $$\ce{2 NaHCO3(s) -> Na2CO3(s) + H2O(g) + CO2(g)}$$ but not: $$\ce{4 NaHCO3(s) -> 4 Na + 2 H2O(g) + 4 CO(g) + 3 O2(g)}$$ or: $$\ce{2 NaHCO3(s) -...
Emm's user avatar
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1 answer
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Decomposition of ammonium nitrate

Consider the decomposition of $\ce{NH4NO3 -> N2O +2 H2O}$ How do I show this is a redox reaction. Within the $\ce{H2O}$ the oxidation state of $\ce{O}$ is $-2$ and the oxidation state of $\ce{H}$ ...
Stark's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
659 views

Do (some or all) phosphates thermally decompose?

I know that metal carbonates decompose to a metal oxide and carbon dioxide upon heating and I was curious if phosphates (eg K3PO4) displayed similar behaviour? Or are they like sulphates where some ...
Tom P's user avatar
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1 answer
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Sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate decomposition

Recently I ran the reaction: $$\ce{2NaHCO3 ->[400°C] Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2}$$ I wanted an explanation why the sodium bicarbonate ($\ce{NaHCO3}$) decomposed into sodium carbonate ($\ce{Na2CO3}$), water ...
Matteo Zervos's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
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Is there any amateur way to process fabric into cellulose?

This article interests me. It says they can decompose fabric into more pure materials - cellulose, then splitting that polymer/polysaccharide into glucose - by soaking it in sulfuric acid. I read that ...
Julius H.'s user avatar
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2 answers
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Electrolysis of Solutions

So far I've only encountered formulas to solve for solutions of single molecules while learning about electrolysis, i.e. H2O or FeCl3. This generally has involved determining the resultants, ...
Curious About Chemistry's user avatar
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Equilibrium concentrations of CO and Cl2 by dissociation of phosgene

I am working through a problem set from MIT's open courseware course Principles of Chemical Science. The question is: Phosgene $\ce{(COCl2)}$ is a chemical warfare agent that decomposes by the ...
AlRi's user avatar
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1 answer
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What is the decomposition of potassium nitrite?

I can find plenty of information on the decomposition of potassium nitrate into potassium nitrite and free oxygen, but apparently the resulting potassium nitrite likes to further decompose and produce ...
Wilma McAfee's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
178 views

Do dessicants work inside of a freezer?

I learned that water sublimates when frozen, which prompts me to ask: Do dessicants work inside a freezer? While dessication inside of a freezer is unlikely to remove large quantities of water fast, ...
Hans's user avatar
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5 votes
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Is there any transparent see material that can endure temperatures of 2000 °C?

I was wondering if there is a transparent material that can endure temperatures up to 2000 °C without deforming or degrading. This material doesn't have to be glass, it can be plastic or a weirdly ...
Sayan Chowdhury's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
54 views

Rate law for thermolysis at temperatures well above the decomposition temperature

If the temperature is higher than the decomposition temperature, are thermal decomposition reactions reversible? For example, which of the following schemes would be more appropriate for temperatures ...
user898724's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
242 views

Under what conditions does manganese dioxide lose its catalytic property?

We know that under standard conditions (room temperature and 760 mmHg air pressure) we have this reaction: $$\ce{2H2O2(l) ->[MnO2] 2H2O(l) + O2(g)}$$ Here, manganese dioxide is behaving as a ...
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1 vote
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Do mechanically recycled plastics decompose more rapidly?

Does it mean that mechanically recycled plastics decompose more rapidly in the environment? So even if mechanical recycling doesn't prevent plastics from going to landfills, just puts it off (...
Sergey Zolotarev's user avatar
-4 votes
1 answer
99 views

What is the chemical equation of the decomposition of natural cork? [closed]

I am currently doing a study project on natural cork wine stoppers and I am investigating the emissions of composting natural cork (C123H182O56N). However, I am struggling with setting up the chemical ...
George's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Does this coupled reaction actually happen (decomposition of calcium carbonate)

I found the following example of a coupled reaction to drive the decomposition of calcium carbonate. I get the calculation part of it, that the changes in Gibbs energy sum to a negative amount. But ...
user796099's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
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Is a diluted aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite more stable than a concentrated solution, all else being equal?

On the Clorox website, they recommend that you dilute bleach (NaOCl) in water prior to use for disinfection. They say that you should make a fresh solution each time you need to use it, adding: “Don’t ...
zunojeef's user avatar
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Hazards of eating non-stick coating, particularly considering the coating primer [closed]

How unhealthy are teflon / non-stick coating chips that end up eaten? What role does the primer coating play? Existing similar threads that don't go into enough detail: 1, 2 I understand that there is ...
Zubo's user avatar
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Rate of Decomposition of Sodium Thiosulphate

I want to calculate the activation energy of the decomposition of sodium thiosulphate, as a part of my school research project. I am aware that I must use the Arrhenius equation where the rate of ...
Sankalp Kapur's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
58 views

Why is it that not all metals produce hydroxides when reacting with water? [duplicate]

I was taught, as a rule, that: metals + water $\rightarrow$ metal hydroxide + hydrogen gas $$\text{Na} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{NaOH} + \text{H}_2$$ However: $$3\text{Fe} + 4\text{H}...
Robinson's user avatar
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1 answer
203 views

How is this reaction not a decomposition reaction? And are all disproportionation reactions decomposition reactions?

When I asked my teacher whether all disproportionation reactions are decomposition reactions, he stated the following reaction: $$ \ce{4 KClO3 -> 3 KClO4 + KCl} $$ and said that this isn't a ...
tofuthefirst's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
64 views

What catalysts can be used to decompose nitrous oxide?

Constraints: I'm going to need to use a lot of this stuff in various locations, so I'd prefer it not be expensive (leaving out things like platinum, palladium, and rhodium.) While I don't believe I ...
JDKelley's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
538 views

Do all metal nitrates give nitrogen dioxide on decomposition?

Some metal nitrates decompose to give nitrites: $\ce{2MNO3 -> 2MNO2 + O2}$ whereas some metal nitrates decompose to give $\ce{NO2}$. A possible reaction is $\ce{M(NO3)2 -> MO + NO2 + O2}$ Based ...
Ashish's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
71 views

Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide Catalysed by Potassium Iodide in Basic Solution

As part of my high school project, I had to measure the initial rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalysed by potassium iodide at different pHs. At higher pHs (alkaline conditions), I found ...
CC792's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Symbolic form of equilibrium constant for ammonium carbamate dissociation

$$\ce{NH2COONH4(s) <=> 2 NH3(g) + CO2(g)} \qquad K = \left(\frac{p(\ce{NH3})}{p^\circ}\right)^2\times\frac{p(\ce{CO2})}{p^\circ}$$ Assuming that you start this experiment with pure solid $\ce{...
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treating PLA (Polylactic acid) plastic to make it biodegradable

I am using PLA for 3D printing, and I know it does not degrade well in the wild. I would like to know if there is a chemical process I could use to treat it at home. Specifically, I am looking for a ...
JCSB's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
1k views

Using the mass of calcium carbonate, what volume of carbon dioxide could theoretically be obtained if the reaction progressed to completion?

Using the mass of calcium carbonate $m(\ce{CaCO3}) = \pu{0.500 g}$, what volume of carbon dioxide $V(\ce{CO2})$ (in $\pu{mL})$ could theoretically be obtained if the reaction progressed to completion? ...
lizzy's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
246 views

How would one determine the temperature needed such that hydrogen peroxide will start to decompose? [closed]

Hydrogen peroxide decomposes at room temperature and so I was wondering what temperature is sufficient for this decomposition to occur. Can someone explain how we can determine this? (theoretically or ...
Alexander Ivanov-Bleck's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
42 views

Strange Distillation Behavior

I was attempting a fractional distillation with 1mL water and 1mL propylene glycol, and I’ve been encountering strange behavior with the heating of the mixture. The heating curve shows strange “spikes”...
COsborne's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
2k views

How to neutralize the stink of decomposed fish?

Recently I discovered for myself an interesting way to easily produce home made plant fertilizer that is quite effective (tested myself on the plants). It's fish emulsion (so can be used also in a ...
user1876484's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
51 views

Software for modelling decomposition reactions

What are some good softwares that can model a decomposition reactions? I have a reaction of H2O2 decomposing on metal exchange hexaaluminate catalyst. The catalyst is present in a packed bed thruster. ...
user86428's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
142 views

What are the most potent hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalysts available to an amateur? [closed]

Some months ago I was playing with $60\,\%$ $\ce{H2O2}$ and unknowingly I used a silver spoon to transfer the liquid from a container, and the peroxide immediately started bubbling (it did look and ...
Francis L.'s user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
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How can I analytically calculate the rate of thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate?

I am a first-time poster on Chemistry StackExchange, and not much of a chemist. I'm trying to determine the rate of thermal decomposition (in mol/s) of calcium carbonate ($\ce{CaCO3}$) at various ...
Chris Forsyth's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
46 views

Basic Chemistry: Carbon Dioxide Formation Unsure about Reaction [closed]

I have the following question description: Consider a gas composed of $\ce{CO_2}$, $\ce{CO}$, $\ce{O_2}$ and $\ce{O}$ with 1 $\ce{C}$ nuclei for every 2 $\ce{O}$ nuclei. I am trying to write ...
Articat's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
818 views

Risks from overheated phenolphthalein in green/orange silica gel drying

Recently I tried to dry out some indicating silica gel. When I googled, I found advice on line saying that it should be heated to 150 C and that such was a standard procedure, so I popped it into the ...
Gus's user avatar
  • 103
0 votes
1 answer
3k views

Half-life and shelf-life of second-order reaction

For integrated rate laws, I have attempted to find the shelf-life and half-life of second-order reaction: However, the answers I have obtained (which are labelled with a red cross) are very different ...
電急流光's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
4k views

Can Aluminum Hydroxide (Al(OH)3) be heated to it's melting temperature before decomposing?

On the wikipedia page for aluminum hydroxide the listed melting point is 300 °C (572 °F), but in the same page it states that aluminum hydroxide decomposes at only 180 °C (356 °F). Can aluminum ...
bakingluvr's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
6k views

Diluting 4 % NaOCl to get a 1 % solution

Assuming that one has a 1 litre bottle of liquid bleach containing $4~\%$ sodium hypochlorite. If I wish to dilute it down to $1~\%$ sodium hypochlorite (to use as disinfectant), would adding 3 litres ...
bdutta74's user avatar
  • 149
2 votes
0 answers
47 views

Long Term Storage of D-Cell Battery

I plan to store D-cell batteries in a winter home. The shelf-life is finite: is there any reason not to freeze or refridgerate the batteries to extend the shelf life?
gatorback's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
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Algae Cultivation Using Polyethylene Film Reactor Vessel Floating In Pool with Algicidal ClO2 Concentration

I'm attempting to grow chlorella algae in a polyethylene film bag (which contains the growth medium) submerged in a temperature-moderating, above-ground swimming pool. This presents a challenge in ...
James Bowery's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
2k views

How can we tell if a salt will melt or decompose?

Take $\rm NaCl$ for instance, a salt that will melt when it reaches its melting point, and compare it with $\rm NH_4NO_3$, a salt that doesn't melt, but instead decomposes to $\rm N_2O$ and $\rm H_2O$ ...
timeinbaku's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
981 views

What does HClO2 aqueous solution decompose to in an open environment? [closed]

I looked up the decompositions of diluted $\ce{HClO2}$ aqueous solution (used in a disinfectant) to know if it is safe to use on some substances, such as metal, wood, leather or skin. However, the ...
THN's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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What is the "mechanism" of the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide?

In my classwork on the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide by catalase, I wrote the following equation: $$\ce{2H2O2 -> 2H2O + O2}$$ However, my teacher said that I should go further in ...
Chris28's user avatar
  • 67
1 vote
2 answers
398 views

Thermal Decomposition of Sulfur Hexafluoride

What is the thermal decomposition temperature for $\ce{SF6}?$ I've heard it decomposes into $\ce{F2}$ and $\ce{SF4}$ only to decompose further into $\ce{S2}$ and $\ce{F2},$ but I haven't found much on ...
Aezyc's user avatar
  • 119
3 votes
2 answers
91 views

Preparation of Barium Hexaaluminate using co-precipitation reaction mechanism

I am preparing Barium Hexaaluminate (BHA) using $\ce{Ba(NO3)2, Al(NO3)3}$, and $\ce{(NH4)2CO3}$. For $\pu{1 mol}$ of each $\ce{Ba(NO3)2}$ and $\ce{Al(NO3)4}$, I am using $\pu{1.5 mol}$ of $\ce{(NH4)...
Amitabh Roy's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
206 views

When MgCl₂ · nH₂O is heated to the boiling point of H₂O

When magnesium chloride hydrate is heated, does $\ce{Mg(OH)2}$ form or what? I'm curious, because Wikipedia says that it decomposes to release $\ce{HCl}$ gas.
Just A Young Artist's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
26 views

Why are ions much more efficient than electrons at beam-induced deposition?

I have recently been reading about electron beam induced deposition and ion beam deposition. The idea is to send a high energy (5-30 kV) beam of electrons/ions focused down to a spot on a material and ...
user157879's user avatar