Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Balance equations

A chemical reaction can represent by using a balance chemical equation.  A balance chemical equation shows reactant and product involve in given reaction with their chemical formulas. A chemical equation also represents, the phases of the participants (solid, liquid, gas) as well as the amount of each substance involve in reaction.

How to Balance a Chemical Equation: Chemical Equation Balancing is a step wise process. Let’s learn how to balance a chemical equation step by step.

1) First write the unbalanced equation by using chemical formulas of reactants and product.

2) Remember, of reactants are listed on the left hand side of the equation and Products on the right hand side.

3) One arrow is used to separated reactant and product to show the direction of reaction.

4) Balancing a chemical equation is based on the Law of Conservation of Mass which states that there are same numbers of atoms of every element on each side of the equation.

5) Balance all elements one by one on both sides by placing coefficients in front of them.

6) Indicate the phase of the reactants and products by using symbols like for use (g) for gaseous state, (s) for solids, (l) for liquids and (aq) for aqueous solution.

Balancing Chemical Equation Problems: For balancing a chemical equation practice, let’s do some problems;

Balance the given chemical equation; __KOH + __ H3PO4  __ K3PO4 + __ H2O

Let’s start from first element ‘K’. Since there is one carbon on left side but three on right side, therefore for balancing ‘K’ put coefficient three on left side before KOH.


3KOH + __ H3PO4  __ K3PO4 + __ H2O


Looking at the next atom (oxygen), the right hand side has seven atoms (three in KOH and four in H3PO4 , while the left hand side has five. To balance the oxygen, coefficient three goes in front of the H2O;


3KOH + __ H3PO4  __ K3PO4 + 3H2O


Now inspect next atom that is hydrogen, on right side there are six atoms and same number is on left side, therefore hydrogen atom is balanced on both side.
Inspection of the last atom to be balanced (phosphorus) shows that the right hand side has atom, similarly on the left hand side has one. Hence the balanced chemical equation can be written as

3KOH + H3PO4  K3PO4 + 3H2O


Balancing Chemical Equation Practice

Some other examples of balanced chemical equation are as follow;

  1. 2 Fe + 3H2SO4 Fe2(SO4)3 + 3H2
  2. 2 C2H6 + 7O2 6 H2O + 4CO2
  3. 4 NH3 + 5 O2 4 NO + 6 H2O
  4. 1 B2Br6 + 6 HNO3  2 B(NO3)3 + 6 HBr
Check my best blog Nitrogen Family of Elements.

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