The discovery of hafnium, element number 72, provided a controversial episode in chemistry. G. Urbain, a French
Question:
(a) How would you use electron configuration arguments to justify Bohr's prediction?
(b) Zirconium, hafnium's neighbor in group 4B, can be produced as a metal by reduction of ZrCl4 solid with molten sodium metal. Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction. Is this an oxidation-reduction reaction? If yes, what is reduced and what is oxidized?
(c) Solid zirconium dioxide, ZrO2, is reacted with chlorine gas in the presence of carbon. The products of the reaction are ZrCl4 and two gases, CO2 and CO in the ratio 1: 2. Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction. Starting with a 55.4-g sample of ZrO2, calculate the mass of ZrCl4 formed, assuming that ZrO2 is the limiting reagent and assuming 100% yield.
(d) Using their electron configurations, account for the fact that Zr and Hf form chlorides MCl4 and oxides MO2.
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Related Book For
Chemistry The Central Science
ISBN: 978-0321696724
12th edition
Authors: Theodore Brown, Eugene LeMay, Bruce Bursten, Catherine Murphy, Patrick Woodward
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