Regarding the combustion of MgO, would the end product be higher, lower, or the same without removing the Mg3N2 by-product? I am guessing that it would be higher, but I am not sure. Thank you.
To determine whether the end product would be higher, lower, or the same without removing the Mg3N2 by-product in the combustion of MgO, we need to examine the chemical equation and the stoichiometry involved.
The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of MgO is:
2 MgO + O2 → 2 Mg + O2
From this equation, we can see that when magnesium oxide (MgO) is combusted, it produces magnesium (Mg) as one of the products. However, it does not explicitly indicate the formation of magnesium nitride (Mg3N2) as a by-product.
If the combustion of MgO were to produce Mg3N2 as a by-product, the balanced equation would be:
2 MgO + N2 → 2 Mg + Mg3N2
In this case, both magnesium (Mg) and magnesium nitride (Mg3N2) would be the final products.
Based on the information provided, it seems that the by-product, Mg3N2, is not factored into the equation, and therefore, it would not affect the yield of the main product, Mg.
Therefore, the end product, whether it is just Mg or Mg and Mg3N2, would be the same regardless of whether the Mg3N2 by-product is removed or not.