Question

The element tin often occurs in nature as the oxide, \(\mathrm{SnO}_{2}\). To produce pure tin metal from this sort of tin ore, the ore usually is heated with coal (carbon). This produces pure molten tin, with the carbon being removed from the reaction system as the gaseous byproduct carbon monoxide. Write the unbalanced equation for this process.

Short answer

The unbalanced equation for the process of converting tin oxide (\(\mathrm{SnO}_{2}\)) into pure tin metal using carbon (coal) as the reducing agent, which forms carbon monoxide as a gaseous byproduct, is: \(\mathrm{SnO}_{2} + C \rightarrow Sn + CO\)

Step-by-step solution

Identify the reactants and products

First, let's identify the reactants and products of this reaction. The reactants are the tin oxide (\(\mathrm{SnO}_{2}\)) and carbon (C). The products are molten tin (Sn) and carbon monoxide (CO).

Write the unbalanced equation

Now that we have identified the reactants and products, we can write the unbalanced equation. The unbalanced equation is written by placing the reactants on the left side of the equation, separated by a "+" sign, and the products on the right side of the equation, also separated by a "+" sign, with an arrow between them to signify the direction of the reaction. \(\mathrm{SnO}_{2} + C \rightarrow Sn + CO\) This is the unbalanced equation for the process.

Key concepts

Understanding Chemical Equations

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction. It provides us with essential information about the reactants, which are the starting substances, and the products, which are the substances formed as a result of the reaction. In the example you encountered involving tin oxide (\( \mathrm{SnO}_{2}\)), carbon (C), tin (Sn), and carbon monoxide (CO), the chemical equation helps you visualize and analyze the transformation of these substances.

• The left side of the equation contains the reactants.
• The right side features the products.
• An arrow (\(\rightarrow\)) indicates the direction of the reaction.

In essence, chemical equations allow chemists to describe chemical reactions succinctly and clearly. They are not only a way of showing what goes into and comes out of a reaction but also an initial step in predicting the amounts of substances consumed and produced.

The Art of Balancing Equations

Balancing chemical equations is an essential skill in chemistry that ensures the law of conservation of mass is respected, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. This means that for a reaction to be correctly represented, the number of each type of atom on the reactants side must equal the number on the products side.

To balance an equation, follow these steps:

• Write down the unbalanced equation with the correct chemical formulas for reactants and products.
• List each element appearing in the equation.
• Use coefficients (numbers in front of compounds) to balance each element, one at a time.
• Check your work by ensuring all elements are balanced when summed on both sides of the equation.

For example, in the process to obtain tin from tin oxide and carbon, an unbalanced equation \(\mathrm{SnO}_{2} + C \rightarrow Sn + CO\) is analyzed. To balance it, you would identify all the elements present and adjust coefficients to have equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides. The final balanced equation ensures that your depiction of the chemical process adheres to the conservation of mass principle.

Stoichiometry and Its Importance

Stoichiometry is a branch of chemistry that deals with calculating the quantities of reactants and products involved in a chemical reaction. It uses the balanced chemical equation to determine how much of each reactant is needed or how much product can be formed. Thus, stoichiometry provides a quantitative understanding of chemical reactions, which is vital for practical applications such as laboratory experiments and industrial processes.
Here's how stoichiometry generally works:

• Use the balanced chemical equation as a guide.
• Convert given information (like mass) into moles, using molar mass as a conversion factor.
• Apply mole ratios from the balanced equation to find unknown quantities.
• Convert back to desired units (mass, volume, particles) when necessary.

By using stoichiometry, you can predict how much tin can be produced from a given amount of tin oxide and carbon. This ensures efficiency and resource management in chemical production. Understanding stoichiometry helps us not only to calculate quantities but also to optimize and control chemical processes effectively.