Chapter 7, Problem 39A

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The unbalanced chemical equation corresponding to the reaction between elemental aluminium and oxygen gas needs to be presented.

Concept Introduction:

• A chemical reaction is expressed as a chemical equation having reactants and products on left and right side of the reaction arrow respectively.

  $\text{Reactants }\to \text{ Products}$

• It also gives the physical state (solid (s), liquid (l), gas (g)) and the amount of reactants and products involved in the reaction.

Answer to Problem 39A

  ${\text{Al(s) + O}}_2\text{(g)}\to {\text{Al}}_{\text{2}}{\text{O}}_3\text{ (s)}$

Explanation of Solution

The given process involves the reaction between aluminium and oxygen gas at high temperatures to produce aluminium oxide. The reactants and products are:

Reactant:

  $\begin{array}{l}\text{Aluminum, solid - Al(s)}\\ {\text{Oxygen, gas - O}}_2(\text{g})\end{array}$

Product:

  ${\text{Aluminum oxide, solid - Al}}_{\text{2}}{\text{O}}_3\text{ (s)}$

Unbalanced equation:

  ${\text{Al(s) + O}}_2\text{(g)}\to {\text{Al}}_{\text{2}}{\text{O}}_3\text{ (s)}$

Conclusion

Therefore the unbalanced reaction will have solid aluminium and oxygen gas as the reactants with solid aluminium oxide as the product.