Ohhh I guess it does! Do you have the heinemann chemistry student workbook? There's a similar Q. to this (Page 22, c))
Have I figured the half equation correctly?
Fe2O3(s) --> 2Fe(l) + 3H2O(l)
Fe2O3(s) +6H+ + 6e --> 2Fe(l) + 3H2O
Fe2O3(s) +6H+ + 6e --> 2Fe(l) + 6H+ + 3O2-
(now the 6H+ cancel out)
Fe2O3(s) + 6e --> 2Fe(l) + 3O2-
would 3O2- be in an (aq) state since it is now an ion? In the book it says that it is (s)?
I think there is a serious misunderstanding here. The thermite reaction does not involve water here. It is just aluminium powder and iron (III) oxide. The overall reaction is Fe
2O
3(s) + 2Al(s) => 2 Fe(l) + Al
2O
3(s)
Redox reactions don't always have to proceed in aqueous solution!
Also, even if this reaction did occur in water, aluminium oxide is insoluble in water.
EVEN IF aluminium oxide dissolved in water, the oxide ion cannot exist in water in aqueous form. Think about it: the oxide ion's conjugate acid is the hydroxide ion, which is a strong base. Therefore, the oxide ion must be a ridiculously powerful base capable of immediately deprotonating most things around it (like water). Aqueous oxide ions quickly become hydroxide ions.
I don't understand why the H2O dissociates, then cancels out the hydrogen ions... I also don't understand why the O2- ions are in the solid state....
I'm just gonna wait here till one of the experts on here delivers...
The water doesn't dissociate. Oxide ions react with water by O
2-(aq) + H
2O(l) => 2OH
-(aq)
Now if this hydroxide encounters hydrogen ions...you know what happens.