No reaction takes place when granules of a solid ‘A’ are mixed with a powder of solid ‘B'. However, when the mixture is heated, a reaction starts with evolution of much heat. Product ‘C’ of the reaction settles down as a liquid metal and solid product ‘D’ keeps floating over the liquid ‘C'. This reaction is sometimes used for making metals for ready use in odd places.
(i) Based on this information, make assumptions about ‘A’ and ‘B’ and corresponding deductions about ‘C’ and ‘D’ and write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction. Include in the chemical equation about physical states of the reactants and products, need of heating for starting the reaction and the reaction being exothermic.
(ii) Name two types of chemical reactions to which this reaction can belong.
(i) ‘A’ is aluminum, ‘B’ is ferric oxide [Iron(III) oxide]
2Al(s) + Fe2O3(s) + heat → Al2O3(s) + 2Fe(l) + heat
(ii) This reaction is displacement reaction because AT is displacing ‘Fe’. It is also a redox reaction because AT is reducing agent and Fe2O3 is oxidising agent.