Question

Give the balanced equations for the following:

Iron reacts with steam

Answer 1

Iron reacts with steam

When any metal react with steam or moisture it forms metal oxide and hydrogen gas.

$\mathrm{Fe}\left(s\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{Fe}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\uparrow$

Hence Iron reacts with steam to form Iron Oxide and liberate hydrogen gas.

Step 1: Balancing $\mathrm{Fe}$ atoms

As we have $3\mathrm{Fe}$ atoms on the product side we have to balance it by adding 3 in front of iron in the reactant side as,

$3\mathrm{Fe}\left(s\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{Fe}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\uparrow$

Step 2: Balancing $\mathrm{O}\hspace{0.17em}$and $\mathrm{H}$atoms

As we have $4\mathrm{O}$atoms on the product side we have to add 4 in front of water molecule in the reactant side. So $\mathrm{H}$on reactant side also increases to $8$. So we have to add $4$in front of ${\mathrm{H}}_2$ on the product side as,

$3\mathrm{Fe}\left(s\right)+4{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{Fe}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+4{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\uparrow$

Step 3: Balanced equation

$$\begin{gathered} 3\mathrm{Fe}\left(s\right)+4{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{Fe}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+4{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\uparrow \\ \text{(Iron) (water) (Iron Oxide) (Hydrogen gas)} \end{gathered}$$