What is the mole ratio of #Fe_3O_4# to #Fe# in the equation #3Fe + 4H_2O -> Fe_3O_4 + 4H_2#?

1 Answer
Mar 16, 2016

#(Fe_3O_4)/(Fe)# is equal to
#(1 mol)/(3 mol)#

Explanation:

  1. To determine the mole ratio of chemical equations, generally is to make sure that the equation is balanced following the Law of the Conservation of Mass;
  2. Since the problem presents a balanced equation, all you have to do is to identify which compounds involved to get the right mole ratio;
  3. The number in front of each compound/element are called coefficients which also serves as the number of moles of the elements/compounds present in the chemical equation;
  4. The balanced equation has the following number of moles
    #3 mol Fe#
    #4 mol H_2O#
    #1 mol Fe_2O_4#
    #4 mol H_2#
  5. Therefore; the mole ratio is #(1 mol Fe_2O_4)/(3 mol Fe)#