Carbon Reducing Iron Oxide in Blast Furnace

2Fe₂O₃ + 3C → 4Fe + 3CO₂

Overview

Carbon (from coke) reduces iron(III) oxide to produce iron metal and carbon dioxide. This is the simplified overall reaction in a blast furnace. In practice, carbon monoxide does most of the reduction work at intermediate temperatures in the furnace stack.

Participants

Role	Substance	Coefficient	State
Reactant	Iron(III) Oxide Fe₂O₃	2	(s)
Reactant	Carbon C	3	(s)
Product	Carbon Dioxide CO₂	3	(g)
Product	Iron Fe	4	(l)

Everyday Example

Every piece of steel in the world was originally produced by reducing iron ore with carbon or carbon monoxide in blast furnaces.

Industrial Importance

This is the most important metallurgical reaction globally, producing over 1.3 billion tonnes of iron annually. The steel industry accounts for about 7% of global CO2 emissions.

Properties

Type: Single Replacement
Reversible: No
Energy: Exothermic
ΔH: -467.0 kJ/mol

Related Reactions

Aluminum Reacting with Hydrochloric Acid Aluminum Reacting with Iron(III) Oxide (Thermite) Aluminum Reducing Chromium Oxide (Aluminothermic) Calcium Reacting with Water Chlorine Displacing Bromine from Sodium Bromide Chlorine Displacing Iodine from Potassium Iodide Copper Displacing Silver from Silver Nitrate Fluorine Displacing Chlorine from Sodium Chloride Hydrogen Reducing Copper Oxide Iron Displacing Copper from Copper Sulfate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equation for Carbon Reducing Iron Oxide in Blast Furnace?

The balanced equation is: 2Fe₂O₃ + 3C → 4Fe + 3CO₂.

What type of reaction is Carbon Reducing Iron Oxide in Blast Furnace?

Carbon Reducing Iron Oxide in Blast Furnace is a single replacement reaction.

Is Carbon Reducing Iron Oxide in Blast Furnace exothermic or endothermic?

Carbon Reducing Iron Oxide in Blast Furnace is exothermic (releases energy). The enthalpy change (ΔH) is -467.0 kJ/mol.