Halogen question?

Question

What halogen is formed when:

(1) You mix FeCl3 and KI (heat this as well)
(2) You mix FeCl3 and KBr (heat this as well)

I believe when this was tested I2 was indicated in (1) and Cl2 was indicated in (2). But in (2) this seems to go against the fact that Cl2 is a better oxidizing agent than Br2 (i.e., shouldn't Br2 be indicated b/c Cl2 will be reduced?). Can someone tell me what is wrong here? Can someone give me the balanced net ionic equations? I need to know exactly why Cl2 is formed in (2) rather than Br2, when Cl2 is a better oxidizing agent? PLEASE ANSWER THE LAST QUESTION ESPECIALLY

Answer 1

In (1), the I- ions reduced the Fe3+ ions, and didn't touch the Cl- ions. So you would have detected I2:

2I- + 2Fe3+ ----> I2 + 2Fe2+

Br- is not a strong enough reducing agent to reduce either Fe3+ or Cl-, so any indication of halogen present was a false reading. It is impossible to reduce Cl- ions, anyway. This practical exercise you did was not about halogen displacements, but about the power of halide ions as reducing agents, by testing them with Fe3+.