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How do you balance a chemical equation?

How do you balance a chemical equation?

  • I am having trouble in chemistry and I don't understand what the book is saying. It says to write the formulas of the reactants and the products, and then count the number of elements. I just really don't understand. If you would help me understand the concept with these 2 q's that would be helpful. Thank you! 1. Balance the equation for the reaction of sodium metal (Na) with oxygen gas (O_2), forming sodium oxide (Na_2O). 2. Balance the equation for the reaction of tin (Sn) with chlorine gas ( Cl_2), forming tin chloride (SnCl_2) thanks again!

  • Answer:

    1. The Sodium needs to be equal-> Na + O_2 -> 2Na_2O <-- the oxygen needs a subscript of 2 ^gets 2 now because of the other oxygen Na: 1x4=4 | Na:2x2=4 O: 2 | O:1x2=2 They need to be the same on both sides and this method helps. Also the 2 needs to be in Na_2O (because the oxygen is two on the reactants side so they must be equal on both sides!) so Na becomes 4 now so the other side needs 4. 4Na + O_2 -> 2Na_2O 2. Sn + Cl_2 -> SnCl_2 This equation is already balanced so yippie!!! <(^.^)>

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1. The Sodium needs to be equal-> Na + O_2 -> 2Na_2O <-- the oxygen needs a subscript of 2 ^gets 2 now because of the other oxygen Na: 1x4=4 | Na:2x2=4 O: 2 | O:1x2=2 They need to be the same on both sides and this method helps. Also the 2 needs to be in Na_2O (because the oxygen is two on the reactants side so they must be equal on both sides!) so Na becomes 4 now so the other side needs 4. 4Na + O_2 -> 2Na_2O 2. Sn + Cl_2 -> SnCl_2 This equation is already balanced so yippie!!! <(^.^)>

You can type it into this website http://www.webqc.org/balance.php for an answer. Answers 1) 4 Na + O2 = 2 Na2O 2) Sn + Cl2 = SnCl2

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All you have to do is put a 2 on either side of the equation so that the number of Na (sodium) on the left side of the equation is EQUAL to the number of Na on the right side. You do the same for O (Oxygen). If there is 2 oxygen atoms on the left side, then there has to be 2 on the right side for the equation to be balanced. 2Na is the same this as Na2 1. 2NaO2------>Na2 2O (kinda hard to show with out the lower 2's) 2. 2SnCl2----->2SnCl2 (chloride is already balanced because there is 2 on both sides) Hope this helps.

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All you have to do is put a 2 on either side of the equation so that the number of Na (sodium) on the left side of the equation is EQUAL to the number of Na on the right side. You do the same for O (Oxygen). If there is 2 oxygen atoms on the left side, then there has to be 2 on the right side for the equation to be balanced. 2Na is the same this as Na2 1. 2NaO2------>Na2 2O (kinda hard to show with out the lower 2's) 2. 2SnCl2----->2SnCl2 (chloride is already balanced because there is 2 on both sides) Hope this helps.

I have a question

You can type it into this website http://www.webqc.org/balance.php for an answer. Answers 1) 4 Na + O2 = 2 Na2O 2) Sn + Cl2 = SnCl2

sb

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