Question

Two reactions that occur in the production of iron (Fe) are 2C + O₂ → 2CO followed by Fe₂O₃ + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO₂. Note that the carbon monoxide, CO, formed in the first reaction is then used in the second reaction. According to these equations, how many moles of oxygen, O₂, are required to produce 800 moles of Fe? (a) 300 (b) 600 (c) 900 (d) 1200 (e) None of the preceding answers is correct.

Answer 1

To produce 800 moles of Fe, 200 moles of O₂ are required.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the moles of oxygen required to produce 800 moles of Fe, we need to examine the balanced chemical equations. The first equation shows that 1 mole of O₂ reacts with 2 moles of C to produce 2 moles of CO. The second equation shows that 3 moles of CO react with 1 mole of Fe₂O₃ to produce 2 moles of Fe and 3 moles of CO₂. Since the second reaction uses the carbon monoxide produced in the first reaction, we need to start with the moles of CO and convert it to moles of O₂. From the first equation, we know that for every 2 moles of CO, 1 mole of O₂ is required. Therefore, for every 1 mole of CO produced in the first reaction, 0.5 moles of O₂ are required. So, to produce 800 moles of Fe, we would need 400 moles of CO, which would require 200 moles of O₂.

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