Question

How do I balance the decomposition of Fe(ClO3)3?

Answer 1

What do you think are the products, first of all?

Answer 2

What do you mean by that?

Answer 3

I mean that you asked for help with balancing, but you don't have your full reaction written yet. Do you need help with that also or do you have the products of the decomp?

Answer 4

Thats all the question gives me, so I guess I need help with that too :)

Answer 5

Ok, cool. So since we have oxygen in our reactant, it is generally released as a gas (O2)

Answer 6

And since we also have two more elements, one that typically makes a positive ion and another that typically make a negative ion, they will most likely form an ionic bond. Any ideas of how they will bond together?

Answer 7

I wish I did, I'm completely lost on this decomposition stuff :P

Answer 8

Ok, well, this is just a general ionic bond. We need to first identify the charges of the iron and chlorine ions.

Answer 9

What is the charge of the polyatomic ion ClO3? (Check your ion chart)

Answer 10

-1

Answer 11

Ok, cool. So, what is the charge of the iron ion?

Answer 12

+1?

Answer 13

No, there are 3 ClO3 ions, so the charge of the iron has to balance out all of them. So, it has to be a +3. Does that make sense?

Answer 14

Ohh, yes :)

Answer 15

Cool, brb

Answer 16

Alrighty

Answer 17

Ok, back. Any ideas on what the ionic compound between iron and chloride is?

Answer 18

When iron has a charge of +3

Answer 19

FeCI3?

Answer 20

Awesome! So, the products are FeCl3 + O2

Answer 21

Now we can balance :-)