Question

How much aluminum can be retrieved from 55.6 g of aluminum oxide, `Al_2O_3`?

Answer 1

Approx. `30*g` of aluminum metal

Explanation:

`"Moles of alumina"` `=` `(55.6*g)/(101.96*g*mol^-1)=0.545*mol`.

Given that each mole of alumina contains 2 moles of aluminum metal, there are `1.09*molxx26.98*g*mol^-1=??g`

The production of aluminum from alumina is highly energy intensive, even given that aluminum (as `Al_2O_3`) is the third most abundant element in the Earth's crust. The aluminum-oxygen bond is very strong, and much electrical energy must be supplied for reduction.