Fe₂O3 is the major component in rust. How many atoms are in one molecule of rust?
0²
01
05
03
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is 5 atoms.
Here’s the explanation:
Rust, chemically known as iron(III) oxide, has the formula Fe₂O₃. This means that each molecule of rust consists of two iron (Fe) atoms and three oxygen (O) atoms. So, to find the total number of atoms in one molecule of rust, we add the atoms of each element:
- 2 Fe atoms
- 3 O atoms
When you add these together, the total number of atoms in one molecule of rust is:
2 Fe atoms + 3 O atoms = 5 atoms
So, there are 5 atoms in one molecule of rust.
Breakdown of the Chemical Formula:
- Fe₂O₃ is a simple compound, where:
- “Fe” represents iron, which is a metal, and it occurs twice in the formula (indicated by the subscript 2).
- “O” represents oxygen, a non-metal, and it occurs three times (indicated by the subscript 3).
Understanding Atoms in Molecules:
In any molecular compound, the subscript number next to each element in the chemical formula tells you how many atoms of that element are present in one molecule. In the case of Fe₂O₃:
- The subscript 2 next to Fe means there are 2 iron atoms.
- The subscript 3 next to O means there are 3 oxygen atoms.
This leads to the total of 5 atoms in one molecule of rust. Each molecule of rust contains a specific ratio of iron and oxygen atoms, contributing to the characteristic reddish-brown color and the corrosion process that occurs when iron reacts with oxygen in the presence of water or moisture.
In summary, a single molecule of rust (Fe₂O₃) contains a total of 5 atoms: 2 iron atoms and 3 oxygen atoms.