Question

let us try to balance the following chemical equation - fe + h₂o → fe₃o₄ + h₂ is this equation is balanced or unbalanced? if not then balance it? step 1: first ____ boxes around each ____. do not change anything inside the boxes while balancing the equation. fe + h₂o → fe₃o₄ + h₂ step 2: the number of atoms of different elements present in the unbalanced equation

Explanation:

Step1: Count atoms

• For Fe: In reactants (L.H.S) there is 1 Fe atom (from Fe). In products (R.H.S) there are 3 Fe atoms (from \(Fe_3O_4\)).
• For H: In reactants (L.H.S) there are 2 H atoms (from \(H_2O\)). In products (R.H.S) there are 2 H atoms (from \(H_2\)).
• For O: In reactants (L.H.S) there is 1 O atom (from \(H_2O\)). In products (R.H.S) there are 4 O atoms (from \(Fe_3O_4\)).

Step2: Balance O atoms

Since there are 4 O atoms in \(Fe_3O_4\) (R.H.S), we need 4 \(H_2O\) on L.H.S. So the equation becomes \(Fe + 4H_2O
ightarrow Fe_3O_4 + H_2\)
Now for H: L.H.S has \(4\times2 = 8\) H atoms. R.H.S has 2 H atoms.

Step3: Balance H atoms

To balance H, we put 4 in front of \(H_2\). The equation is \(Fe + 4H_2O
ightarrow Fe_3O_4+4H_2\)
Now for Fe: L.H.S has 1 Fe atom. R.H.S has 3 Fe atoms.

Step4: Balance Fe atoms

Put 3 in front of Fe. The balanced equation is \(3Fe + 4H_2O
ightarrow Fe_3O_4 + 4H_2\)

Answer:

The un - balanced equation \(Fe + H_2O
ightarrow Fe_3O_4 + H_2\) is balanced as \(3Fe + 4H_2O
ightarrow Fe_3O_4 + 4H_2\)