Balance the equation: C + Fe2O3 → Fe + CO ?

1 Answer
anor277
Jul 19, 2017

#Fe_2O_3+3C+Deltararr2Fe+3CO#

Explanation:

And this is a redox equation in which carbon (as coke) is oxidized to #"carbon monoxide"#......and #"ferric oxide"# is reduced to metallic iron. And this is one of the effectual reactions of our civilization....

How could we do this reaction systematically.....?

#Fe_2O_3(s) +6H^(+) +6e^(-) rarr 2Fe+3H_2O# #(i)#

i.e. the reduction half-equation.....

And there is a corresponding oxidation equation........

#C+H_2O rarrCO+2H^(+) + 2e^(-) # #(ii)#

And we add these reactions in a way so as to eliminate the electrons which are included as virtual particles of convenience......

And so #(i) + 3xx(ii)# we gets......

#Fe_2O_3(s) +cancel(6H^(+) +6e^(-))+3C+cancel(3H_2O) rarr2Fe +cancel(3H_2O)+3CO+cancel(6H^(+) + 6e^(-)) #

To give finally.......

#Fe_2O_3 +3C rarr2Fe +3CO#

Which is the same as we got before. These reactions are performed in the manufacture of iron and steel....and there are extensive data on these sorts of reactions.

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