Write balanced equations for the formation of the following compounds from their elements. (c) Uranium hexafluoride (a solid at 25 °C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the elements that make up the compound. Uranium hexafluoride is composed of uranium (U) and fluorine (F).
2. Step 2: Write the unbalanced equation. Uranium and fluorine are both diatomic in their elemental form, so the unbalanced equation is U + F2 -> UF6.
3. Step 3: Balance the equation. The compound has 6 fluorine atoms, so we need to balance the equation by adding a coefficient of 3 to the fluorine on the left side of the equation. The balanced equation is U + 3F2 -> UF6.
4. Step 4: Check your work. The number of atoms of each element should be the same on both sides of the equation. In this case, there is 1 uranium atom and 6 fluorine atoms on both sides, so the equation is balanced.
5. Step 5: Write the state of each substance at 25 °C. Uranium is a solid (s), fluorine is a gas (g), and uranium hexafluoride is a solid (s). So, the final balanced equation is U(s) + 3F2(g) -> UF6(s).

Key Concepts

Chemical Equations

Chemical equations represent the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. They must be balanced to obey the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. Each element's number of atoms must be the same on both sides of the equation, ensuring that the total mass remains constant.

Formation Reactions

A formation reaction is a specific type of chemical reaction where a compound is formed from its constituent elements in their standard states. For example, when writing the formation reaction for uranium hexafluoride, one must consider the elemental forms of uranium and fluorine at standard conditions, which are solid uranium and gaseous fluorine, respectively.

Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6)

Uranium hexafluoride (UF6) is a compound used in the uranium enrichment process. It consists of one uranium atom bonded to six fluorine atoms. Understanding its formation requires knowledge of the oxidation states of uranium and the properties of fluorine, as well as the conditions under which UF6 is stable, particularly its solid state at room temperature.