5

Solution3b:
Giventhereactionis:2MgO
(slag)
+Si
(iniron)
2Mg
(g)
+SiO
2(slag)
2
2 1
0
3 3 2 1
ln
Mg SiO
R R
MgO Si
a a
G G RT
a a
| |
A = A +
|
|

\ .

AssumingMgisthepredominantspeciesinthegasphase,a
Mg
=0.001atm;a
SiO2
=0.0002;assuming
MgOispuresolidintheslag,a
MgO
=1;andassumingchemicalequilibriumso
R3
G=0.Fromthe
graphprovidedinthequestion,at1500
o
C
Si
=0.0007.So:
2
2
2
2 1
0
3 2 1
2 0
3
2
1
2 0
3
2
2
0 ln
exp
exp
200,000
0.001 0.0002
exp
1 0.0007
8.3145 (1500 273.1
Mg SiO
R
MgO Si
Mg SiO
R
MgO Si Si
Mg SiO
R
Si
MgO Si
Si
a a
G RT
a a
a a
G
a x RT
a a
G
x
a RT
J
mol
x
J
mol K

| |
= A +
|
|

\ .
| |
A
=
|

\ .
| | | |
A
= | |
|

\ . \ .

1
5)
0.2226
Si
K
x

| | | |
| |
| |
| |
|
\ . \ .
=

Fromthegivengraph,wearegiven:1wt%Si=x
Si
=0.02
X
Si
=0.2226/0.02=11.13wt%Si
Sotheminimumsiliconcontentintheironrequiredfortheprocesstoproceedis11.13wt%Si.