Question

One of the most important industrial processes is the production of iron from its ore. The process occurs in a blast furnace and can be summarized by the following equations. How many moles of Fe can be produced from 500g of ore (Fe₂O₃) assuming that each reaction runs to a 75% yield?

3 Fe₂O₃ + CO --> 2 Fe₃O₄ + CO₂

   Fe₃O₄ + CO --> 3 FeO + CO₂

     FeO + CO --> Fe + CO₂

            a) 1.4mol             b) 2.6mol           c) 3.1mol            d) 4.2mol              e) 6.3mo

Answer 1

3 Fe2O3 + CO --> 2 Fe3O4 + CO2

   Fe3O4 + CO --> 3 FeO + CO2

     FeO + CO --> Fe + CO2

Now balance equation

Fe2O3(s)+3CO(g)--->2Fe(s)+3CO2(g)

So Look at the equation. The equation TELLS you that 1 mole of Fe2O3 reacts with 3 mols CO (notice that's CO and not Co) to produce 2 mols Fe and 3 mols CO2 so,

Now mols Fe3O4 = grams/molar mass = 500 / 231.53 = 2.16 mol-1

So mol of Fe produced = 2 x 2.16 = 4.32 mol (100% yield)

So by consider 75% yield = 4.32 x 0.75 = 3.2 mol means answer is (c)