At 900 °C, titanium tetrachloride vapor reacts with molten magnesium metal to form solid titanium metal and molten magnesium chloride. (a) Write a balanced equation for this reaction.

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Identify the reactants and products in the reaction. The reactants are titanium tetrachloride (\( \text{TiCl}_4 \)) and magnesium (\( \text{Mg} \)), and the products are titanium (\( \text{Ti} \)) and magnesium chloride (\( \text{MgCl}_2 \)).

Write the unbalanced chemical equation: \( \text{TiCl}_4 + \text{Mg} \rightarrow \text{Ti} + \text{MgCl}_2 \).

Balance the equation by ensuring the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides. Start with the titanium (\( \text{Ti} \)) atoms. There is one \( \text{Ti} \) atom on both sides, so they are balanced.

Next, balance the chlorine (\( \text{Cl} \)) atoms. There are four \( \text{Cl} \) atoms in \( \text{TiCl}_4 \) and two in \( \text{MgCl}_2 \). To balance, place a coefficient of 2 in front of \( \text{MgCl}_2 \): \( \text{TiCl}_4 + \text{Mg} \rightarrow \text{Ti} + 2\text{MgCl}_2 \).

Finally, balance the magnesium (\( \text{Mg} \)) atoms. There are two \( \text{Mg} \) atoms in \( 2\text{MgCl}_2 \), so place a coefficient of 2 in front of \( \text{Mg} \): \( \text{TiCl}_4 + 2\text{Mg} \rightarrow \text{Ti} + 2\text{MgCl}_2 \).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Balancing Chemical Equations

Balancing chemical equations involves ensuring that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This is based on the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. To balance an equation, coefficients are adjusted in front of the chemical formulas to achieve equal atom counts.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the quantitative relationship between reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows chemists to predict the amounts of substances consumed and produced in a reaction based on balanced equations. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for calculating yields, determining limiting reactants, and scaling reactions for practical applications.

Types of Chemical Reactions

Chemical reactions can be classified into several types, including synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement. The reaction between titanium tetrachloride and magnesium is a single replacement reaction, where magnesium displaces titanium from titanium tetrachloride, resulting in the formation of titanium metal and magnesium chloride. Recognizing the type of reaction helps in predicting the products and understanding the reaction mechanism.

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