When the equation:
Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + H2O(l)
is balanced with smallest whole number coefficients, the coefficient for the hydrogen sulfate ion will be ______.
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To balance the given chemical equation, you need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Let's go step by step to balance the equation:
1. Start by counting the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation.
Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + H2O(l)
Al: 1 on the left, 2 on the right
H: 1 on the left, 0 on the right
S: 1 on the left, 1 on the right
O: 4 on the left, 3 on the right
2. Balance the atoms of each element one by one, starting with the elements that appear in the fewest compounds.
Let's balance hydrogen (H) first:
There is 1 hydrogen atom on the left and 2 hydrogen atoms on the right. To equalize the number of hydrogen atoms, we need to multiply the H2O(l) on the right by 2:
Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + 2H2O(l)
3. Now, let's balance the sulfur (S).
There is 1 sulfur atom on the left and 1 sulfur atom on the right. The sulfur atoms are already balanced.
Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + 2H2O(l)
4. Finally, balance the aluminum (Al) and oxygen (O).
There is 1 aluminum atom on the left, but 2 aluminum atoms on the right. Multiply Al(s) on the left by 2:
2Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + 2H2O(l)
There are 4 oxygen atoms on the left and 3 oxygen atoms on the right. Multiply OH-(aq) on the left by 4:
2Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + 4OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + 2H2O(l)
5. Now the equation is balanced.
The coefficient for the hydrogen sulfate ion (HSO4-) is 1. Therefore, the balanced equation with the smallest whole number coefficients is:
2Al(s) + HSO4-(aq) + 4OH-(aq) → Al2O3(s) + S2-(aq) + 2H2O(l)