A rebreathing gas mask contains potassium superoxide, KO2, which reacts with moisture in the breath to give oxygen.
4KO2(s) + 2H2O(l) → 4KOH(s) + 3O2(g)
Estimate the grams of potassium superoxide required to supply a person’s oxygen needs for one hour. Assume a person requires 1.00 × 102 kcal of energy for this time period. Further assume that this energy can be equated to the heat of combustion of a quantity of glucose, C6H12O6, to CO2(g) and H2O(l). From the amount of glucose required to give 1.00 × 102 kcal of heat, calculate the amount of oxygen consumed and hence the amount of KO2 required. The ∆Hof for glucose(s) is 1273 kJ/mol.