help me, please!

[Guest youngrace]

FeCl3 (aq) + KBr (aq)--> I'm not sure if this comes out to be FeBr3 (aq) + K+ (aq) + Cl- (aq), or FeBr3 (aq) + K+ (aq) + Cl2 (aq) (I know these aren't balanced; I'll probably do that later). basically, does chloride stay an ion, or does it recombine to form chlorine? this has been bothering me for ages...thanks in advance!

 

(the same deal with FeCl3 + KI...chloride ions, or Cl2 as product? arg!)

[mezarashi]

I'm not completely confident, but I strongly believe that the Cl2 will not form, due to the fact that Cl2 is a rather poisonous gas at room temperature. If the Cl- ions did infact bond, they would bubble out of the aquaeous solution and you will be breathing it in, causing serious damage to your brain. Similarly, when you dissolve salt into water, Na Cl, the Cl- ions do not join together, but infact remain ions. This is natural as Chlorine gas is not found in its Cl2 state in nature, and so without any catalyst of sort, it should not form.

 

Conclusion is, your first equation would be right. This is a precipitation reaction? I can't remember if bromide compounds are generally soluable as with their chloride cousins.

[budullewraagh]

no Cl2 is produced because there would be excess electrons