Question

In an experiment similar to this one, and done very carefully so that the yield was essentially 100%, 0.05 g of iron reacted with hydrochloric acid to give 0.145 g of a chloride FeCln. There are two chlorides of iron, ferrous chloride, FeCl2, and ferric chloride, FeCl3. Which one was obtained?

Answer 1

Solution :-

Two chlorides of the Iron are FeCl2 and FeCl3

so using the moles of the each iron chloride we can find which iron chloride is formed

lets calculate the moles of the Fe

moles of Fe= mass/ molar mass

                  = 0.05 g / 55.845 g per mol

                  = 0.000895 mol

Now lets calculate the moles of each iron chloride using the mass of the product

moles of FeCl2 = 0.145 g / 126.751 g per mol

                         = 0.001144 mol FeCl2

moles of FeCl3 = 0.145 g / 162.204 g per mol

                         = 0.000894 mol FeCl3

mole ratio of the Fe with both iron chloride is 1 : 1

Therefore the FeCl3 gives the same moles as the initial moles of the Fe

Therefore the iron chloride that was formed by the reaction is FeCl3