Problem 68 - Chemistry: Structure and Properties

Question

Write a balanced equation for the reaction of chlorine gas with fluorine gas.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The balanced equation for the reaction between chlorine gas and fluorine gas is \( Cl2 + 3F2 \rightarrow 2ClF3 \).

Step 1: Identify Reactants

Determine the chemical formulas of the reactants. In this reaction, the reactants are chlorine gas and fluorine gas, which are diatomic molecules and their formulas are Cl2 and F2 respectively.

Step 2: Identify Product

The product of the reaction between chlorine and fluorine is chlorine trifluoride, and the chemical formula for chlorine trifluoride is ClF3.

Step 3: Write the Unbalanced Equation

Using the chemical formulas identified for the reactants and product, write the unbalanced equation: \[ Cl2 + F2 \rightarrow ClF3 \]

Step 4: Balance the Equation

Balance the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. Start by balancing chlorine atoms. There are two chlorine atoms on the left and only one on the right, so you put a coefficient of 2 before ClF3: \[ Cl2 + F2 \rightarrow 2ClF3 \]Then balance the fluorine atoms. There are two fluorine atoms on the left and six on the right (because there are 3 fluorine atoms for each ClF3 and there are two ClF3 molecules), so put a coefficient of 3 before F2: \[ Cl2 + 3F2 \rightarrow 2ClF3 \]

Key Concepts

Chemical Reaction

A chemical reaction is a process that involves the rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of substances, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction. It's a fundamental concept in chemistry that describes how substances interact to form new products.

Considering our exercise, we have a chemical reaction where chlorine gas reacts with fluorine gas to create chlorine trifluoride. This particular type of chemical reaction is a synthesis reaction, where two or more reactants combine to form a single product. Through balancing chemical equations, we make sure that the number of atoms for each element is conserved before and after the reaction, adhering to the Law of Conservation of Mass.

Diatomic Molecules

Diatomic molecules are a specific family of molecules consisting of two atoms bonded together. These can be atoms of the same element or different elements. The seven diatomic elements are hydrogen (H₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), fluorine (F₂), chlorine (Cl₂), bromine (Br₂), and iodine (I₂).

Diatomic molecules are particularly important when discussing chemical reactions involving gases, as many gases exist naturally in diatomic form. In the exercise, both chlorine and fluorine are in their diatomic forms, which means we must account for them as Cl₂ and F₂ respectively when writing and balancing the chemical equation. Understanding the diatomic nature of certain elements is essential for correctly balancing chemical reactions.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions. It is a quantitative study based on the balanced equations that allows us to predict the amount of product that will form during a reaction, as well as the amount of reactants needed to produce a certain amount of product.

In the case of the reaction between chlorine gas and fluorine gas to make chlorine trifluoride, stoichiometry tells us exactly how many molecules of each reactant we need to form the product. The balanced equation from the exercise, \( Cl2 + 3F2 \rightarrow 2ClF3 \), showcases the stoichiometric relationship: for every molecule of chlorine gas, we need three molecules of fluorine gas to produce two molecules of chlorine trifluoride. Grasping these stoichiometric principles is critical for understanding the proportions and relationships within a chemical reaction.