When iron (Fe) reacts with oxygen (O₂), they undergo a chemical reaction to form iron oxide (commonly known as rust, particularly Fe₂O₃ or Fe₃O₄ if moisture is involved).
Here's a simplified breakdown of the process:
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Reactants: The reaction involves iron atoms and oxygen molecules (O₂). Each oxygen molecule consists of two oxygen atoms.
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Chemical Reaction: The iron atoms bond with oxygen atoms. The simplest reaction can be represented as: \[ 4 \text{Fe} + 3 \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 \]
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Atoms During the Reaction: In this reaction:
- Four iron atoms (Fe) combine with three oxygen molecules (O₂, or six oxygen atoms) to form two formula units of iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃).
- The iron loses electrons and becomes positively charged ions (Fe³⁺), while the oxygen atoms gain electrons and become negatively charged (O²⁻).
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Conservation of Mass: The total number of each type of atom is conserved. For every four iron atoms and six oxygen atoms that react, two formula units of iron oxide are produced.
Overall, during the reaction, the iron atoms transform into iron oxide, while the oxygen atoms combine with the iron atoms to form the rust. The process is typically exothermic, releasing some heat.