An alternative method for preparing pure iron from Fe2O3 is by reaction with carbon monoxide: Fe2O3 + CO --> Fe + CO2 Unbalanced. (a) Balance the equation. (b) How many grams of CO are needed to react with 3.02 g of Fe2O3? (c) How many grams of CO are needed to react with 1.68 mol of Fe2O3?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Balance the chemical equation. Start by balancing the number of iron (Fe) atoms. Since there are 2 Fe atoms in Fe2O3, you need 2 Fe atoms on the product side. Adjust the coefficient of Fe accordingly.
2. Step 2: Balance the oxygen (O) atoms. Fe2O3 has 3 oxygen atoms, and CO2 has 2 oxygen atoms per molecule. Adjust the coefficients of CO and CO2 to balance the oxygen atoms.
3. Step 3: Balance the carbon (C) atoms. Ensure that the number of carbon atoms from CO on the reactant side equals the number of carbon atoms in CO2 on the product side.
4. Step 4: For part (b), calculate the molar mass of Fe2O3 and use it to convert 3.02 g of Fe2O3 to moles. Use the balanced equation to find the mole ratio between Fe2O3 and CO.
5. Step 5: For part (c), use the mole ratio from the balanced equation to determine the moles of CO needed for 1.68 mol of Fe2O3. Then, convert the moles of CO to grams using the molar mass of CO.

Key Concepts

Balancing Chemical Equations

Balancing chemical equations involves ensuring that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This is achieved by adjusting the coefficients in front of the chemical formulas. For the reaction of Fe2O3 with CO, balancing is crucial to accurately represent the stoichiometry of the reaction, which is essential for calculating reactant and product quantities.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the quantitative relationship between reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows us to calculate the amounts of substances consumed and produced based on balanced equations. In this question, stoichiometry is used to determine how many grams of CO are required to react with given amounts of Fe2O3, using molar ratios derived from the balanced equation.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is essential for converting between grams and moles in stoichiometric calculations. To find out how many grams of CO are needed for the reaction, one must first calculate the molar mass of Fe2O3 and CO, which facilitates the conversion of mass to moles and vice versa.