Here is a problem from my discussion group that I'm having trouble starting (it's question M15 from the book):
Aluminum metal reacts with chlorine gas to produce aluminum chloride. In one preparation, 255 g of aluminum is placed in a container holding 535 g of chlorine gas. After reaction ceases, it is found that 300. g of aluminum chloride has been produced.
(a) Write the balanced equation for the reaction.
(b) What mass of aluminum chloride can be produced by these reactants?
(c) What is the percentage yield of aluminum chloride?
I know how to determine the mass of aluminum chloride and the percentage yield based on a balanced chemical equation, but I'm wondering how to determine the molecular formulas of aluminum metal, chlorine gas, and aluminum chloride without needing to google it.
Help Determining a Chemical Equation
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Re: Help Determining a Chemical Equation
Determining the molecular formulas of those three components is apart of the process of balancing a chemical equation. By looking at the periodic table, you can determine the ionic charge of aluminum and chlorine to help construct the formula for aluminum chloride. Since aluminum has a +3 charge and chlorine has a -1 charge, you can assume that it takes one chlorine to cancel out the charge of 1 aluminum atom. Therefore, you can confirm that aluminum chloride is AlCl3. Then you construct your chemical equation, with your aluminum metal and chlorine gas being your reactants. Then balance the equation.
Last edited by Ryan Agcaoili 2E on Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Help Determining a Chemical Equation
Thanks for the info! I'm still confused though, if it takes 1 Al atom with a +3 charge to cancel out the -3 charge of 1 Cl then shouldn't the molecular formula of aluminum chloride be just AlCl? Why are there 3 Al atoms in AlCl3? Also, the molecular formula of chlorine is Cl2--how do I determine that from the information given/the periodic table?
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Re: Help Determining a Chemical Equation
My apologies, I meant to state that chlorine had a -1 charge, so it takes 3 chlorine atoms to cancel one aluminum atom.
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Re: Help Determining a Chemical Equation
AlCl3 has this formula because Al has a +3 charge and Cl has a -1 charge. As for Cl2, you'll have to memorize which elements are diatomic. I believe there are 7 of them: H2, N2, F2, O2, I2, Cl2, and Br2.
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