The total quantity of coal burned in Canada and the United States in a year is approximately 450 x 106 t. The average quantity of sulphur in coal is 2.5%.
a) Calculate the mass of sulphur contained in coal.
b) Calculate the mass of calcium carbonate required to eliminate sulphur (IV) oxide. (You may assume that 1 mole of sulphur will produce 1 mole of sulphur (IV) oxide.) 5 marks
c) Give your comments on problems related to this method of reducing pollution. (You may find it useful to know that a railcar of calcium sulphite weighs approximately 100 t.)
d) Have you any other suggestion on how to fight acid rain caused by coal combustion?