Question

Write a balanced formula equation for:

aluminum + oxygen → aluminum oxide

Answer 1

Symbol for Aluminium is Al and it has +3 as its most stable oxidation state (valence) in its oxide.

Oxygen has formula as O2 (g) it has -2 as its most stable oxidation state in compounds with metals.

One Al (+3) and 1.5 O (1.5 * -2 = -3) would give a neutral compound Aluminium oxide Al₁O_1.5.

Aluminium oxide formula hence will be Al₁O_1.5.

We write a balanced formula as,

Al (s) + 1.5 O (g) Al₁O_1.5.

But ATom cannot be destructed we need to take this atom number to natural number.

We multily the whole equation by 2 hence we get,

2 Al (s) + 3 O (g) Al₂O₃ (s)

Oxygen being diatomic gas we write 1.5 O2 instead 3 O.

Finally we have, a balanced equation as,

2 Al (s) + 1.5 O₂ (g) Al₂O₃ (s)

Or we can also have stoichiometric coefficients as natural number. as

4 Al (s) + 3 O₂ (g) 2 Al₂O₃ (s)

Is the balaced formula

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