Answer to Question #323601 in General Chemistry for Safani

Question

You are a NASA engineer. You are the chief engineer for the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. The astronauts are running out of oxygen and need to get rid of the excess carbon dioxide. You know that sodium hydroxide (NaOH) has been suggested as a means of removing carbon dioxide from the spacecraft cabin. The filter which they had been using is fully saturated and no longer works. You remember that the astronauts have a 5000. g container of sodium hydroxide on the ship. You also know that sodium hydroxide can be used to remove carbon dioxide.

Use the following reaction:  NaOH    +     CO2   →   Na2CO3    +    H2O

The astronauts have 2 days left before they land on Earth. You know that there are three astronauts, and each astronaut emits roughly 500. g Of carbon dioxide each day. Is there enough sodium hydroxide in the cabin to cleanse the cabin air of the carbon dioxide, or are the astronauts doomed?

Answer 1

We know that there are three astronauts and each one of them emits 500 grams of carbon dioxide each day, so the total carbon dioxide emitted each day.