HW problem H11

[Bryce Ramirez 1J]

The problem asks "In a second stage, the Fe3O4 reacts further with carbon monoxide to produce solid elemental iron and carbon dioxide. Write the balanced equation for each stage in the process." I wrote this out as Fe3O4 + CO --> Fe + CO2, but I can't find a way to balance the equation. Am I writing the equation wrong to begin with?

[MKearney_4G]

"In a second stage, the Fe3O4 reacts further with carbon monoxide to produce solid elemental iron and carbon dioxide. Write the balanced equation for each stage in the process."

Fe3O4 + CO = Fe + CO2 has the correct elements, so you are correct in that aspect.

To balance it, first balance the oxygen and carbon.

Fe3O4 + 4CO = Fe + 4 CO2

Then you can balance Fe

Fe3O4 + 4CO = 3Fe + 4CO2

Note: It took me a few tries to balance the oxygen and carbon, at first I balanced O but C wasn't balanced, so I just adjusted the number of CO up in even increments until it balanced. I hope this helped :)

[Chem_Mod]

Balance the Fe and C first, because they are the "simplest" ones because they only appear once on each side. Now you should have 5 O on left and 2 O on right. Because the right side Oxygen's can only increase in multiples of 2 (from CO2), you must find the least common multiple of 2. the lowest one that matches the right amount of Carbon and Oxygen is 8 O on each side.

This seems to be a more challenging equation to balance, but a good example of how multiples may be needed in balancing an equation.

[Bryce Ramirez 1J]

"In a second stage, the Fe3O4 reacts further with carbon monoxide to produce solid elemental iron and carbon dioxide. Write the balanced equation for each stage in the process."

Fe3O4 + CO = Fe + CO2 has the correct elements, so you are correct in that aspect.

To balance it, first balance the oxygen and carbon.

Fe3O4 + 4CO = Fe + 4 CO2

Then you can balance Fe

Fe3O4 + 4CO = 3Fe + 4CO2

Note: It took me a few tries to balance the oxygen and carbon, at first I balanced O but C wasn't balanced, so I just adjusted the number of CO up in even increments until it balanced. I hope this helped :)

Yeah this helps, I never thought of going up a mole until they balanced. Thanks!

[Rebecca Epner 4A]

Just a quick tip: if the numbers don't seem obvious or you can't seem to make the equation work, try using a system of equations

So (A)Fe3O4 + (B)CO = (C)Fe + (D)CO2
and then proceed to solve for each element
Fe: 3A=C
O: 4A=B+2D
C: B=D