Video Transcript
Iron(II) oxide can be fully oxidized in dry hot air to give which of the following
iron compounds? (A) Fe(OH)3, (B) Fe2O3, (C) Fe3O4, (D) Fe(OH)2, or (E) FeO.
In this question, we want to determine which iron oxide compound is formed when
iron(II) oxide is heated in the presence of oxygen.
Elemental iron is capable of forming three different types of oxides. The first example is called ferrous oxide. This compound consists of one iron and one oxygen atom. Here, the iron is in a plus-two state. The second is known as ferric oxide, where the iron is an a plus-three state. And finally, Fe3O4 or magnetite exists as a combination of plus-two and plus-three
iron ions.
The question at hand is asking us how iron(II) oxide can be oxidized fully. Since iron ions can only exist in the plus-two or plus-three state, iron(II) oxide
must be oxidized to iron(III) oxide, otherwise known as ferric oxide.
With this information, we should be able to revisit and answer the question. Iron(II) oxide can be fully oxidized in dry hot air to give which of the following
iron compounds? And the correct answer is answer choice (B), Fe2O3.