2KClO3 → 2KCl + 3O2 How many moles of potassium chloride are produced by the decomposition of 9.0 moles of potassium chlorate, KClO3?

9.0

Explanation:

l

mol

Explanation:

Potassium chlorate

KClO

3

decomposes to produce potassium chloride

KCl

and oxygen

O

2

. Balancing the equation

KClO

3

→

KCl

+

O

2

(not balanced)

based on the fact that the number of moles of oxygen atoms should be the same on both side of the equation will give

KClO

3

→

KCl

+

3

2

O

2

2

KClO

3

→

2

KCl

+

3

O

2

Hence the ratio of number of moles of particles

n

(

O

2

)

n

(

KClO

3

)

=

3

2

n

(

O

2

)

=

n

(

KClO

3

)

⋅

n

(

O

2

)

n

(

KClO

3

)

=

3

2

⋅

n

(

KClO

3

)

Therefore the decomposition of

6.0

l

mol

of

KClO

3

would yield

6.0

⋅

n

(

O

2

)

n

(

KClO

3

)

=

6.0

⋅

3

2

=

9.0

l

mol

Note that the species

KCl

is highly stable. Both the potassium cation

K

+

and the chloride anion

Cl

−

have attained a noble gas octet configuration of valence shell electrons. Chemical reactions tend to favor the most chemically stable combination. Therefore this decomposition reaction would eventually produce

KCl

rather than other salts that contain oxygen.

particle   p is an electron and particle q is a neutron