select the correct answer. iron reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form iron oxide or ferric oxide. look at…
select the correct answer. iron reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form iron oxide or ferric oxide. look at the chemical equation for this reaction: fe + o2 → fe2o3 this equation is unbalanced. which of the following is the correct balanced equation for this reaction? a. 4fe + 3o2 → 2fe2o3 b. 3fe + 4o2 → 2fe2o3 c. 2fe + 4o2 → 3fe2o3 d. 3fe + 3o2 → 4fe2o3 e. 4fe + 4o2 → 3fe2o3
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Balance iron atoms
On the right - hand side of the unbalanced equation $Fe + O_2\rightarrow Fe_2O_3$, there are 2 iron atoms in $Fe_2O_3$. So we need to adjust the coefficient of $Fe$ on the left - hand side.
Step2: Balance oxygen atoms
The oxygen atoms in $Fe_2O_3$ are 3. The oxygen in $O_2$ is 2. We need to find the least common multiple of 2 and 3 for the oxygen atoms. The least common multiple of 2 and 3 is 6. So we adjust the coefficients of $O_2$ and $Fe_2O_3$ to balance oxygen. When the coefficient of $O_2$ is 3 and the coefficient of $Fe_2O_3$ is 2, we have 6 oxygen atoms on both sides. And to balance iron, the coefficient of $Fe$ should be 4.
Answer:
A. $4Fe + 3O_2\rightarrow2Fe_2O_3$