balance the chemical equation:

Al(OH)2-- Al^2+ +OH^-

Al(OH)2 ==>Al^+2 + 2OH^- but that doesn't tell me much. I don't know what Al(OH)2 is. There is a Al(OH)3; i.e., aluminum oxide.

No! It Al(OH) with the subindex of 2 ==> Al to the power+ plus OH with a negative sign on the top!

Then it is balanced correctly if the -- you have is an arrow --> and not two minus signs.

To balance the chemical equation Al(OH)2 → Al^2+ + OH^-, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Here's a step-by-step guide to balancing the chemical equation:

1. Start by counting the number of atoms on each side of the equation.
- On the left side, there is one Al, two O, and two H.
- On the right side, there is one Al, one O, and one H.

2. Begin by balancing the Al atoms. Since there is already one Al on both sides, it is already balanced.

3. Next, let's balance the O atoms. Since there are two O atoms on the left side and only one O atom on the right side, we need to add a coefficient in front of the Al(OH)2 compound.
- The equation becomes: 2 Al(OH)2 → Al^2+ + OH^-

4. Now, let's balance the H atoms. There are four H atoms on the left side, while only one H atom is on the right side. To balance this, we need to add four H^+ ions on the right side of the equation.
- The balanced equation is: 2 Al(OH)2 → Al^2+ + 4 H^+ + 2 OH^-

5. Finally, simplify the equation by canceling out any common terms. In this case, there are two OH^- ions on the right side, so we can simplify it further:
- The final balanced equation is: 2 Al(OH)2 → Al^2+ + 4 H2O