At the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle it was discovered that mice can be put into a state of suspended animation by applying a low dose of hydrogen sulfide, H₂S. The breathing rate of the mice fell from 120 to 10 breaths per minute and their temperature fell to just 2°C above ambient temperature. Six hours later the mice were revived and seemed to show no negative effects.
(a) Hydrogen sulfide is a gas at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure where as water is a liquid with a low vapor pressure under the same conditions. Explain this observation.
(b) The H₂S gas delivered to the mice had a concentration of 80 ppm. (A concentration of 1 ppm is 1 part per million, or one molecule in every 1 million molecules.) If you deliver 1.0 L of gas(a mixture of O₂, N₂, and H₂S) at a total pressure of 725 mm Hg at a temperature of 22°C, what is the partial pressure of the H₂S gas?

(c) Hydrogen sulfide can be converted to sulfuric acid. If 5.2 L of H₂S gas at 130 mm Hg pressure and 25°C is allowed to react with O₂ gas, how many liters of O₂ gas, also at 130 mm Hg pressure and 25°C, are required for complete reaction? Assume the following reaction occurs.

Transcribed Image Text:

H₂S(g) + 2 O₂(g) H₂SO4(l)