IChO 1970 · Theory problem 4

Alloy of rubidium with another alkali metal

An alloy consists of rubidium and one of the other alkali metals. A sample of 4.6 g of the alloy when allowed to react with water, liberates 2.241 dm³ of hydrogen at STP.

Problems:

4.1 Which alkali metal is the component of the alloy?

4.2 What composition in % by mass has the alloy?

Relative atomic masses:

\(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Li}) = 7;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Na}) = 23;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{K}) = 39;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Rb}) = 85.5;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Cs}) = 133\)

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 4.1: Lithium, \(\ce{Li}\).
  • 4.2: Approximately 24.2% lithium and 75.8% rubidium by mass.

Solution

4.1 — Identification of the second metal

All alkali metals react with water according to \[ \ce{2M + 2H2O -> 2MOH + H2}, \] where \(\ce{M}\) represents an alkali metal. Thus, two moles of metal atoms produce one mole of hydrogen.

Using the conventional STP molar volume \(V_m \approx 22.4\,\mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}}\), \[ n(\ce{H2}) =\frac{2.241\,\mathrm{dm^3}}{22.4\,\mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}}} =0.10004\,\mathrm{mol}. \] The total amount of metal is therefore \[ n_{\text{metals}}=2n(\ce{H2})=0.20009\,\mathrm{mol}. \]

The mean molar mass of the alloy’s metal atoms is \[ \overline M =\frac{4.6\,\mathrm g}{0.20009\,\mathrm{mol}} \approx22.99\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

This is a mole-weighted average of the two metals’ molar masses. Rubidium has a molar mass of \(85.5\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), so the other metal must have a molar mass below \(22.99\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\). Of the listed alkali metals, only lithium, with \(M=7\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), satisfies this condition.

The reactions are \[ \ce{2Li + 2H2O -> 2LiOH + H2}, \] \[ \ce{2Rb + 2H2O -> 2RbOH + H2}. \]

The molecular species are water O and hydrogen [H][H]. The products are lithium hydroxide [Li+].[OH-] and rubidium hydroxide [Rb+].[OH-], present as dissociated ions in water.

4.2 — Mass composition

Let \(x\) be the mass of lithium. The mass of rubidium is \(4.6\,\mathrm g-x\). The total amount of metal gives \[ \frac{x}{7\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} +\frac{4.6\,\mathrm g-x}{85.5\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} =0.200089\,\mathrm{mol}. \]

Solving, with guard digits retained, \[ m(\ce{Li})=1.11533\,\mathrm g,\qquad m(\ce{Rb})=3.48467\,\mathrm g. \]

Hence the mass percentages are \[ w(\ce{Li}) =\frac{1.11533}{4.6}\times100\% \approx\boxed{24.2\%}, \] \[ w(\ce{Rb}) =\frac{3.48467}{4.6}\times100\% \approx\boxed{75.8\%}. \]

The solution was checked against the official solution.