How many grams of iron oxide will be needed to react in order to form 15.0 grams of iron?

To determine the grams of iron oxide (Fe2O3) needed to produce 15.0 grams of iron (Fe), we can use stoichiometry. The balanced chemical equation for the reduction of iron(III) oxide is: Fe2O3 + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO2. From the equation, 2 moles of Fe are produced from 1 mole of Fe2O3. The molar mass of iron is approximately 55.85 g/mol, so 15.0 g of iron corresponds to about 0.268 moles of Fe. Thus, to find the moles of Fe2O3 needed, we calculate 0.134 moles (since 0.268 moles of Fe requires half that amount of Fe2O3). The molar mass of Fe2O3 is about 159.69 g/mol, so 0.134 moles of Fe2O3 would be approximately 21.4 grams.