Part IV. Limiting Reactants! A Challenge Problem!

1.9.00 g of iron (III) oxide powder is reacted with 4.00 g of aluminum metal to produce molten metallic iron and aluminum oxide powder

a. Write a balanced chemical reaction describing this process, including the physical states of each reactant and product.

b. Which is the limiting reagent in this reaction?

c. What is the maximum amount of molten iron you could produce from the above reaction?

d. If you carried out this reaction and it actually produced 0.475 mL of molten iron (r = 6.98 g/mL), what is the percent yield of this reaction?

a. Fe2O3(s) + 2Al(s) → 2Fe(s) + Al2O3(s)

b. Fe2O3 is the limiting reactant.

c. 6.30 grams Fe

d. 52.6 %

Explanation:

Step 1: Data given

Mass of iron(III) oxide Fe2O3 = 9.00 grams

Mass of aluminium = 4.00 grams

Molar mass Fe2O3 = 159.69 g/mol

Aluminium molar mass = 26.98 g/mol

Step 2: The balanced equation

Fe2O3(s) + 2Al(s) → 2Fe(s) + Al2O3(s)

Step 3; Calculate Moles

Moles = mass / molar mass

Moles Fe2O3 = 9.00 grams / 159.69 g/mol

Moles Fe2O3 = 0.0564 moles

Moles Al = 4.00 grams / 26.98 g/mol

Moles Al = 0.148 moles

Step 4: Calculate limiting reactant

For 1 mol Fe2O3 we need 2 moles Al to produce 2 moles Fe and 1 mol Al2O3

Fe2O3 is the limiting reactant. It will completely be consumed (0.0564 moles).  Al is in excess. There will react 0.0564*2 = 0.1128 moles

There will remain 0.148 - 0.1128 = 0.0352 moles Al

Step 5: Calculate moles Fe

For 1 mol Fe2O3 we need 2 moles Al to produce 2 moles Fe and 1 mol Al2O3

For 0.0564 moles Fe2O3 we'll have 2*0.0564 = 0.1128 moles Fe

Step 6: Mass of Fe

Mass Fe = 0.1128 moles * 55.845 g/mol

Mass Fe = 6.30 grams

Step 7: If you carried out this reaction and it actually produced 0.475 mL of molten iron (r = 6.98 g/mL), what is the percent yield of this reaction?

Density = mass / volume

Mass = density * volume

Mass = 6.98 g/mL * 0.475 mL

Mass = 3.3155 grams

Percent yield = (actual mass / theoretical mass) * 100%

Percent yield = (3.3155 /6.30 ) * 100 %

Percent yield = 52.6 %