Final answer:
The balanced chemical equation provides the ratio of moles between CO and Fe2O3 to determine the mass of CO required to reduce the iron(III) oxide to iron metal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between iron(III) oxide and carbon monoxide (CO) is:
Fe2O3 + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO2
In this equation, we can see that for every 3 moles of CO, 1 mole of Fe2O3 is required to produce 2 moles of Fe. Therefore, the balanced chemical equation provides the ratio of moles between CO and Fe2O3.
To determine the mass of CO required to reduce the iron(III) oxide to iron metal, you need to know the molar mass of CO and the molar mass of Fe2O3. Using the molar mass, you can convert the moles of Fe2O3 to grams and then use the mole ratio to calculate the moles of CO required. Finally, you can convert the moles of CO to grams using the molar mass of CO.