Chapter 7, Problem 17A

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The unbalanced chemical equation corresponding to the synthesis of phosphorus trichloride from its elements needs to be presented.

Concept Introduction:

• A chemical reaction is expressed as a chemical equation having reactants and products on left and right side of the reaction arrow respectively.

  $\text{Reactants }\to \text{ Products}$

• It also gives the physical state (solid (s), liquid (l), gas (g)) and the amount of reactants and products involved in the reaction.

Answer to Problem 17A

  ${\text{P}}_4{\text{(s) + Cl}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g) }\stackrel{\text{heat}}{\to }{\text{ PCl}}_{\text{3}}\text{ (l) }$

Explanation of Solution

The given process involves the reaction between elemental phosphorous and chlorine gas to form phosphorus trichloride liquid. The reactants and products are:

Reactants:

  $\begin{array}{l}{\text{Phosphorus, solid - P}}_4(\text{s})\\ {\text{Chlorine, gas - Cl}}_{\text{2}}\text{ (g)}\end{array}$

Products:

  ${\text{Phosphorus trichloride, liquid - PCl}}_3\text{(l)}$

Unbalanced equation:

  ${\text{P}}_4{\text{(s) + Cl}}_{\text{2}}\text{(g) }\stackrel{\text{heat}}{\to }{\text{ PCl}}_{\text{3}}\text{ (l) }$

Conclusion

Therefore, the unbalanced reaction will have solid phosphorus and chlorine gas as the reactants with phosphorus trichloride liquidas the product.