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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: matermultorum on September 30, 2017, 10:21:24 AM

Title: When a compound is a reactant and a product
Post by: matermultorum on September 30, 2017, 10:21:24 AM

The question says... heating a weighed mixture of potassium chlorate and potassium chloride produces potassium chloride and evolving oxygen gas. 

I wrote and balanced this equation. The answer does not have the KCL on the left and thus has a 2 KCL on the right.  I see that it balances both ways.  Why is the KCL not on the left? Can it be written on the left?


2KCLO₃+ KCL    :rarrow:  3KCL + 3O₂

Thank you

Title: Re: When a compound is a reactant and a product
Post by: Arkcon on September 30, 2017, 11:44:07 AM

Unless you're dealing with a typo, its hard to understand a reaction that consumes and produces KCl.  How would you even know it was happening?

Title: Re: When a compound is a reactant and a product
Post by: matermultorum on September 30, 2017, 02:31:27 PM

  It says the potassium chlorate and potassium chloride are mixed together. Then afterward you don't have the mixture you just have KCl and the oxygen.  What happened to the original KCl that was in the mixture? Since you start with it and end with it you don't include it in the reaction? It is just physically separated from the potassium Chlorate?

I assume potassium chlorate heated would produce KCL and oxygen and that the KCl in the original mixture isn't necessary.

I'm not even sure my question is making sense.  Thanks for trying.

Title: Re: When a compound is a reactant and a product
Post by: Babcock_Hall on September 30, 2017, 03:46:04 PM

There is a formal possibility that the KCl is acting as a catalyst.