How would I determine how many grams of antimony would form from the reaction of carbon with "3.6 g"3.6 g of antimony(III) oxide?

1 Answer

Use dimensional analysis (a.k.a. the factor-label method)

Explanation:

given: 3.6"g "Sb_2O_33.6g Sb2O3
reacts with carbon (C)
want: mass of Sb

Sb_2O_3 + 3C rarr 2Sb + 3COSb2O3+3C2Sb+3CO

Setup a Dimensional analysis starting with the given over 1:

(3.6"g "Sb_2O_3)/13.6g Sb2O31

Multiply by the molar mass conversion factor for Sb_2O_3Sb2O3:

(3.6"g "Sb_2O_3)/1(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)/(291.5"g "Sb_2O_3)3.6g Sb2O311mol Sb2O3291.5g Sb2O3

From the equation we see that 1 mole of Sb_2O_3Sb2O3 produces 2 moles of SbSb so we multiply by that conversion factor:

(3.6"g "Sb_2O_3)/1(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)/(291.5"g "Sb_2O_3)(2"mol "Sb)/(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)3.6g Sb2O311mol Sb2O3291.5g Sb2O32mol Sb1mol Sb2O3

Multiply by the conversion factor for the molar mass of SbSb:

(3.6"g "Sb_2O_3)/1(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)/(291.5"g "Sb_2O_3)(2"mol "Sb)/(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)(121.76"g "Sb)/(1"mol "Sb)3.6g Sb2O311mol Sb2O3291.5g Sb2O32mol Sb1mol Sb2O3121.76g Sb1mol Sb

Please observe that the units cancel; leaving only the units "g "Sbg Sb

(3.6"g "Sb_2O_3)/1(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)/(291.5"g "Sb_2O_3)(2"mol "Sb)/(1"mol "Sb_2O_3)(121.76"g "Sb)/(1"mol" Sb) = 3.0"g "Sb larr3.6g Sb2O311mol Sb2O3291.5g Sb2O32mol Sb1mol Sb2O3121.76g Sb1molSb=3.0g Sb
answer