Skip to main content
Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution
Chapter 4, Problem 107

The discovery of hafnium, element number 72, provided a controversial episode in chemistry. G. Urbain, a French chemist, claimed in 1911 to have isolated an element number 72 from a sample of rare earth (elements 58–71) compounds. However, Niels Bohr believed that hafnium was more likely to be found along with zirconium than with the rare earths. D. Coster and G. von Hevesy, working in Bohr's laboratory in Copenhagen, showed in 1922 that element 72 was present in a sample of Norwegian zircon, an ore of zirconium. (The name hafnium comes from the Latin name for Copenhagen, Hafnia). (c) Solid zirconium dioxide, ZrO2, reacts with chlorine gas in the presence of carbon. The products of the reaction are ZrCl4 and two gases, CO2 and CO in the ratio 1:2. Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction.

Verified Solution

Video duration:
5m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Balancing Chemical Equations

Balancing chemical equations is a fundamental skill in chemistry that ensures the law of conservation of mass is upheld. This law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, meaning the number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of the equation. To balance an equation, coefficients are adjusted in front of the chemical formulas to achieve equal numbers of each type of atom. This process is crucial for accurately representing the stoichiometry of a reaction.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:32
Balancing Chemical Equations

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the quantitative relationship between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows chemists to predict the amounts of substances consumed and produced in a reaction based on balanced equations. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for calculating yields, determining limiting reactants, and scaling reactions for practical applications. In the context of the given reaction, stoichiometry helps in understanding the molar ratios of reactants and products involved.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:16
Stoichiometry Concept

Chemical Reaction Types

Chemical reactions can be classified into several types, including synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement reactions. The reaction described in the question involves the synthesis of zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl4) from zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and chlorine gas (Cl2), with carbon acting as a reducing agent. Recognizing the type of reaction helps in predicting the products and understanding the mechanisms involved, which is vital for writing accurate balanced equations.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:25
Common Types of Alkane Reactions
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Suppose you have 3.00 g of powdered zinc metal, 3.00g of powdered silver metal and 500.0 mL of a 0.2 M copper(II) nitrate solution. (d) What is the molarity of Cu2+ ions in the resulting solution?

352
views
Textbook Question

(a) By titration, 15.0 mL of 0.1008 M sodium hydroxide is needed to neutralize a 0.2053-g sample of a weak acid. What is the molar mass of the acid if it is monoprotic?

1329
views
Textbook Question

(b) An elemental analysis of the acid indicates that it is composed of 5.89% H, 70.6% C, and 23.5% O by mass. What is its molecular formula?

1437
views
Textbook Question

A sample of 8.69 g of Zn1OH22 is added to 155.0 mL of 0.750 M H2SO4. (c) How many moles of ZnSO4 are present after the reaction is complete?

408
views
Textbook Question

In 2014, a major chemical leak at a facility in West Virginia released 28,390 L of MCHM (4-methylcyclohexylmethanol, C8H16O) into the Elk River. The density of MCHM is 0.9074 g/mL. (a) Calculate the initial molarity of MCHM in the river, assuming that the first part of the river is 2.00 m deep, 90.0 m wide, and 90.0 m long.

378
views
Textbook Question
Ritalin is the trade name of a drug, methylphenidate, used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults. The chemical structure of methylphenidate is (c) Ritalin has a half-life of 3 hours in the blood, which means that after 3 hours the concentration in the blood has decreased by half of its initial value. For the man in part (b), what is the concentration of Ritalin in his blood after 6 hours?
305
views