Question

nice work. now that chemical reaction-the combustion of hydrogen gas-is balanced. there are the same number of each type of atom on both sides of equation. but how might you write this formally? use your balanced chemical equation to complete the chemical equation below. use the balanced equation you constructed to fill in how many of each molecule is present on both sides of the equation. o₂ + h₂ → h₂o

Explanation:

Step1: Balance oxygen atoms

On the left - hand side, oxygen is in \(O_2\), and on the right - hand side, oxygen is in \(H_2O\). Let the coefficient of \(O_2\) be \(x\) and the coefficient of \(H_2O\) be \(y\). The number of oxygen atoms on the left is \(2x\), and on the right is \(y\). To balance oxygen, if we assume \(x = 1\), then \(y=2\) (since \(2x=y\)).

Step2: Balance hydrogen atoms

After balancing oxygen (\(O_2 +...H_2
ightarrow2H_2O\)), for hydrogen atoms. The number of hydrogen atoms on the right - hand side is \(2\times2 = 4\) (from \(2H_2O\)). Since hydrogen is in \(H_2\) on the left - hand side, and if the coefficient of \(H_2\) is \(z\), then \(2z = 4\), so \(z = 2\).

Answer:

\(1O_2+2H_2
ightarrow2H_2O\)