Question

1. 2 points: illustrate and balance the following equation: calcium plus sulfuric acid (dihydrogen sulfate) produces calcium sulfate plus hydrogen gas.

Explanation:

Step1: Write the unbalanced equation

First, we identify the chemical formulas of each reactant and product. Calcium is \( \text{Ca} \), sulfuric acid (dihydrogen sulfate) is \( \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \), calcium sulfate is \( \text{CaSO}_4 \), and hydrogen gas is \( \text{H}_2 \). So the unbalanced equation is:
\( \text{Ca} + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4
ightarrow \text{CaSO}_4 + \text{H}_2 \)

Step2: Check the number of each atom on both sides

• For Ca: Left side has 1, right side has 1. Balanced.
• For S: Left side has 1 (in \( \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \)), right side has 1 (in \( \text{CaSO}_4 \)). Balanced.
• For O: Left side has 4 (in \( \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \)), right side has 4 (in \( \text{CaSO}_4 \)). Balanced.
• For H: Left side has 2 (in \( \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \)), right side has 2 (in \( \text{H}_2 \)). Balanced.

Since all atoms are already balanced, the balanced chemical equation is the same as the unbalanced one we wrote initially.

Answer:

The balanced chemical equation is \( \text{Ca} + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 = \text{CaSO}_4 + \text{H}_2 \) (Note: The arrow can also be written as an equals sign in the context of a balanced equation for simplicity, or kept as \(
ightarrow \))