Balance the chemical equation: Fe + Cl2 - FeCl3

Question

Balance the chemical equation: Fe + Cl2 -> FeCl3

ScanSolve AI Tutor · Accepted Answer

Step 1: Assign variables to the stoichiometric coefficients for each reactant and product. Let a, b, and c be the coefficients for Fe, Cl₂, and FeCl₃ respectively. aFe + bCl₂ → cFeCl₃ Step 2: Write down the balance equations for each element present in the reaction. For Iron (Fe): The number of Fe atoms on the reactant side must equal the number of Fe atoms on the product side. a = c (1) For Chlorine (Cl): The number of Cl atoms on the reactant side must equal the number of Cl atoms on the product side. 2b = 3c (2) Step 3: Assign a value to one of the variables to solve the system of equations. Let's assume a = 1. Step 4: Solve for the other variables using the equations. From equation (1): If a = 1, then c = 1. Substitute c = 1 into equation (2): 2b = 3(1); 2b = 3; b = 3/2 Step 5: Convert fractional coefficients to whole numbers. The coefficients are a=1, b=3/2, c=1. To get whole numbers, multiply all coefficients by the smallest integer that eliminates the fraction, which is 2. a = 1 × 2 = 2; b = 3/2 × 2 = 3; c = 1 × 2 = 2 Step 6: Write the balanced chemical equation using the whole number coefficients. 2Fe + 3Cl₂ → 2FeCl₃ The balanced equation is: 2Fe + 3Cl₂ → 2FeCl₃

Balance the chemical equation: Fe + Cl2 -> FeCl3

Answer

Step-by-step solution

Assign variables to the stoichiometric coefficients for each reactant and product.

Write down the balance equations for each element present in the reaction.

Assign a value to one of the variables to solve the system of equations.

Solve for the other variables using the equations.

Convert fractional coefficients to whole numbers.

Write the balanced chemical equation using the whole number coefficients.

Try one yourself

Still stuck on this one?

More Chemistry Questions