In a lab experiment, you added sodium metal to aluminum oxide. Write a balanced equation for this experiment and predict whether or not a reaction will occur.Benzene (C6H6) is a common industrial solvent. Write a balanced equation for the combustion of benzene in oxygen. Assume that the combustion is complete.
1) 6Na + Al2O3 -- 3Na2O + 2Al A reaction will occur 2) 2C6H6 + 15O2 -- 6H2O + 12CO2
Sodium hydroxide and aluminium react to form sodium aluminate and hydrogen.
sodium metal = Na aluminum oxide = Al2O3 (because Al has a 3+ charge and O has a 2- charge you need 2 x Al (+6) and 3 x O (-6) to make the compound neutral) 6Na + Al2O3 = 3Na2O + 2Al This is an oxidation-reduction type of reaction (also called single replacement). The reactions indicates Na is becoming 1+ so it is losing electrons (oxidation). The Al is becoming 0 so it is gaining electrons (reduction). Since Na has a highter oxidation potential that Al, this reaction is favored. Combustion means to react with oxygen to form CO2 + H2O (complete combustion) 2C6H6 + 15O2 = 12CO2 + 6H2O
Sodium is Na and aluminium oxide is Al2O3, so the reaction would be Na + Al2O3 -- Na2O + Al Now you just need to balance the equation by adjusting how many of each reactant and product there are so that you have an even number of each element on each side. At the moment you have 1 Na, 2 Al and 3 O on the left and 2 Na, 1 Al and 1 O on the right. It is really fundamental to chemical reactions that you can do this so try and have a go at learning how to do it. I can't remember how I was taught to balance equations, but I just juggle the numbers around until it fits. It will be 6Na + Al2O3 -- 3Na2O + 2 Al The reaction is likely to happen because sodium is a very reactive metal (more so than aluminium, but I can't remember or find the appropriate numbers) so the sodium oxide/aluminium metal side of the reaction is favoured, and thus the reaction will occur. As for burning benzene, the reaction is complete oxidation of benzene to carbon dioxide, so the reaction would be C6H6 + O2 -- CO2 + H2O now you just need to balance it. good luck
