The purification of highly brittle, impure Zirconium () via the Van Arkel method relies on the therm — Metallurgy and Isolation of Elements Chemistry Question
Question
The purification of highly brittle, impure Zirconium ($Zr$) via the Van Arkel method relies on the thermal decomposition of an intermediate halide gas. According to the balanced chemical equation, if exactly $2.5$ moles of pure Zirconium are deposited on the tungsten filament, how many moles of Iodine ($I_2$) gas are liberated?
💡 Solution & Explanation
The balanced thermal decomposition reaction for the Van Arkel process is: $ZrI_4(g) \xrightarrow{2070 K} Zr(s) + 2I_2(g)$. For every 1 mole of Zirconium deposited, 2 moles of $I_2$ gas are liberated. Therefore, depositing 2.5 moles of Zr will liberate $2.5 \times 2 = 5.0$ moles of $I_2$.