Question

1. at antarcticas famous blood falls, bright red water seeps out of the ice due to iron - rich brine that oxidizes when it reaches the surface. the iron in the water reacts with oxygen in the air to form iron(iii) oxide, which gives the falls their distinctive red color. the simplified reaction is: fe + o₂ → fe₂o₃

your tasks:

1. identify the type of chemical reaction taking place at blood falls. (synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement, combustion)
2. balance the chemical equation provided above.
3. stoichiometry challenge:

if 12.0 grams of iron (fe) in the brine react completely with excess oxygen, how many grams of fe₂o₃ are produced at blood falls?

Explanation:

Task 1:

A synthesis reaction is when two or more reactants combine to form a single product. Here, Fe and O₂ combine to form Fe₂O₃, so it's a synthesis reaction.

Step 1: Balance Fe atoms

On the left, we have 1 Fe atom. On the right, we have 2 Fe atoms in Fe₂O₃. So we put a coefficient of 4 in front of Fe: $4\text{Fe} + \text{O}_2
ightarrow 2\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3$ (now Fe is balanced: 4 on left, 4 on right).

Step 2: Balance O atoms

On the right, we have 6 O atoms (2 * 3) in 2 Fe₂O₃. On the left, we have 2 O atoms in O₂. So we put a coefficient of 3 in front of O₂: $4\text{Fe} + 3\text{O}_2
ightarrow 2\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3$. Now check: Fe: 4 on both sides, O: 6 on both sides.

Step 1: Molar mass of Fe

Molar mass of Fe is $55.85\ \text{g/mol}$. Moles of Fe = $\frac{12.0\ \text{g}}{55.85\ \text{g/mol}} \approx 0.215\ \text{mol}$.

Step 2: Mole ratio from balanced equation

From $4\text{Fe} + 3\text{O}_2
ightarrow 2\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3$, the ratio of Fe to Fe₂O₃ is $4:2 = 2:1$. So moles of Fe₂O₃ = $\frac{0.215\ \text{mol}}{2} \approx 0.1075\ \text{mol}$.

Step 3: Molar mass of Fe₂O₃

Molar mass of Fe₂O₃: $2\times55.85 + 3\times16.00 = 111.7 + 48.00 = 159.7\ \text{g/mol}$.

Step 4: Mass of Fe₂O₃

Mass = moles * molar mass = $0.1075\ \text{mol} \times 159.7\ \text{g/mol} \approx 17.17\ \text{g}$.

Answer:

Synthesis

Task 2: