Final answer:
The missing product in the chemical equation 2Fe2O3 + C3 -> 3CO2 + ________ is iron (Fe), making the balanced chemical equation 2Fe2O3 + 3C -> 4Fe + 3CO2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks what is missing in the balanced chemical equation: 2Fe2O3 + C3 -> 3CO2 + ________.
The correct answer to complete the chemical equation is Fe, which means option (a) 2Fe3C, (b) 2Fe3O4, (c) 2FeC3, and (d) 2Fe2CO3 are incorrect. The equation given is a simplified representation of the chemical reactions that occur in a blast furnace during the reduction of iron ore (Fe2O3) to iron (Fe), where carbon (C) acts as the reducing agent, being oxidized to carbon dioxide (CO2). The full balanced equation is: 2Fe2O3 (s) + 3C (s) -> 4Fe (s) + 3CO2 (g).
Oxidation and reduction are complementary processes, where one species loses electrons (oxidation) and another gains electrons (reduction).