Balancing Chemical Equations
Balancing Chemical Equations is the act of making sure there is the same amount of each substance on the reactants side as there is on the products side.
H2O (l) --> H2 (g) + O2 (g)
| |
reactants products
There are 2 hydrogen's on each side; that is considered balanced. BUT there are 2 oxygen's on the products side and only one on the reactants side. In this case, a large 2 must be places in front of the H2O, making 2 water molecules, meaning 4 hydrogen's and 2 oxygen's. The oxygen's are now balanced. You cannot add a subscript 2 after the O in H2O because that would mean there are two oxygen atoms in one molecule, that would change the substance and we would no longer have water.
NOW: 2H2O (l) --> H2 (g) + O2 (g)
there are 4 hydrogen's on the reactants side and only two on the products side. This is unbalanced. A large 2 must now be added in front of the H2 on the products side,. There are now 4 hydrogens on both sides.
2H2O (l) --> 2H2 (g) + O2 (g)
Now the equation is balanced!
H2O (l) --> H2 (g) + O2 (g)
| |
reactants products
There are 2 hydrogen's on each side; that is considered balanced. BUT there are 2 oxygen's on the products side and only one on the reactants side. In this case, a large 2 must be places in front of the H2O, making 2 water molecules, meaning 4 hydrogen's and 2 oxygen's. The oxygen's are now balanced. You cannot add a subscript 2 after the O in H2O because that would mean there are two oxygen atoms in one molecule, that would change the substance and we would no longer have water.
NOW: 2H2O (l) --> H2 (g) + O2 (g)
there are 4 hydrogen's on the reactants side and only two on the products side. This is unbalanced. A large 2 must now be added in front of the H2 on the products side,. There are now 4 hydrogens on both sides.
2H2O (l) --> 2H2 (g) + O2 (g)
Now the equation is balanced!