how many grams of silicon carbide can be formed from 75g of graphite and 45g of silicon dioxide

**From Graphite and Sand to Shiny Gems: The Kitchen Recipe for Silicon Carbide**

(how many grams of silicon carbide can be formed from 75g of graphite and 45g of silicon dioxide)

Let’s say you want to make something cool today. Maybe not a cake or cookies, but something sparkly and tough—like silicon carbide. This stuff isn’t just for industrial labs. With a bit of chemistry magic, you can figure out how much of it you can whip up using plain old graphite and sand. Grab your apron—we’re diving into a kitchen-style science experiment.

First, you need to know the recipe. Silicon carbide forms when graphite (pure carbon) reacts with silicon dioxide (aka sand). The chemical equation looks like this: SiO₂ + 3C → SiC + 2CO. Translation: one part sand teams up with three parts graphite to make one part silicon carbide and two parts carbon monoxide. Simple, right? Now, let’s measure our ingredients. You’ve got 75 grams of graphite and 45 grams of sand. The big question: which ingredient runs out first, and how much shiny silicon carbide can you actually make?

To solve this, we’ll play a numbers game. Every chemical recipe has molar masses—the weight of one “molecule portion” of each ingredient. Silicon dioxide (sand) has a molar mass of about 60 grams per mole. Graphite (carbon) is lighter at 12 grams per mole. Silicon carbide sits at 40 grams per mole. Let’s break it down.

First, calculate how many moles of each ingredient you have. For sand: 45 grams ÷ 60 g/mol = 0.75 moles. For graphite: 75 grams ÷ 12 g/mol = 6.25 moles. Now, check the recipe ratios. The equation says you need 3 moles of carbon for every 1 mole of sand. So, for 0.75 moles of sand, you’d need 0.75 × 3 = 2.25 moles of graphite.

Wait—you have 6.25 moles of graphite. That’s way more than 2.25. This means sand is the “limiting ingredient.” It’ll get used up first, leaving extra graphite behind. Once the sand’s gone, the party stops. No more silicon carbide.

Now, how much silicon carbide can you make? The recipe says 1 mole of sand makes 1 mole of silicon carbide. You have 0.75 moles of sand, so you’ll get 0.75 moles of silicon carbide. Convert that back to grams: 0.75 moles × 40 g/mol = 30 grams.

Hold on. What if graphite were the limiting ingredient? Let’s pretend. If all 6.25 moles of graphite reacted, you’d need 6.25 ÷ 3 ≈ 2.08 moles of sand. But you only have 0.75 moles. Again, sand calls the shots. No matter how much graphite you pile in, the sand decides the final yield.

This isn’t just about mixing stuff. It’s about ratios. Imagine baking cookies. If a recipe needs 2 eggs and 3 cups of flour, having 10 eggs won’t help if you only have 2 cups of flour. You’ll max out at one batch. Chemistry works the same. The ingredient in shortest supply (by ratio) caps your final product.

Why does this matter? In real life, factories use this math to save money. No one wants to waste materials. By calculating limiting reactants, they order just enough ingredients to make what they need. For our kitchen experiment, it’s about bragging rights. Telling your friends you made 30 grams of silicon carbide from stuff lying around? Pretty cool.

Silicon carbide isn’t just a lab curiosity. It’s used in car brakes, bulletproof vests, and even fake diamonds. Its hardness and heat resistance make it a superstar material. Next time you see a shiny abrasive tool or a sleek sports car, remember—it might’ve started with sand and graphite.

(how many grams of silicon carbide can be formed from 75g of graphite and 45g of silicon dioxide)

One last thing. Always respect safety. This reaction produces carbon monoxide gas, which is dangerous. Don’t try this at home without proper gear. But hey, the math is safe—and now you know how it works.