Phosphoric acid reacts with magnesium hydroxide to produce magnesium phosphate and water via the following reaction:H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 -----> Mg3(PO4)2 + H2O.Balance the equation, then enter the coefficients
2H3PO4 + 3Mg(OH)2 -----> Mg3(PO4)2 + 6H2O
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To balance the equation H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + H2O, follow these steps:
1. Count the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation.
H3PO4: 1 phosphorus atom, 4 oxygen atoms, and 3 hydrogen atoms.
Mg(OH)2: 1 magnesium atom, 2 oxygen atoms, and 2 hydrogen atoms.
Mg3(PO4)2: 1 phosphorus atom, 8 oxygen atoms, and 3 magnesium atoms.
H2O: 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
2. Start by balancing the elements that appear in only one compound on each side. In this case, it's the phosphorus (P) atom.
H3PO4: 1 P
Mg(OH)2: No P
Mg3(PO4)2: 1 P
H2O: No P
To balance the P atoms, place the coefficient "3" in front of Mg3(PO4)2:
H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → 3Mg3(PO4)2 + H2O
3. Now, look at the hydrogen (H) atoms.
H3PO4: 3 H
Mg(OH)2: 2 H
Mg3(PO4)2: No H
H2O: 2 H
To balance the H atoms, place the coefficient "6" in front of H2O:
H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → 3Mg3(PO4)2 + 6H2O
4. Finally, check the oxygen (O) atoms.
H3PO4: 4 O
Mg(OH)2: 2 O
Mg3(PO4)2: 8 O
H2O: 1 O
To balance the O atoms, place the coefficient "6" in front of H3PO4:
6H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → 3Mg3(PO4)2 + 6H2O
The balanced equation is:
6H3PO4 + 3Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + 6H2O
To balance the equation, we need to make sure that the number of atoms on both sides of the equation is equal.
Given the equation: H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + H2O
Let's start by balancing the phosphorus (P) atoms:
There is 1 P atom on the left side and 2 P atoms on the right side. To balance the P, we place a coefficient of 3 in front of H3PO4:
3 H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + H2O
Next, let's balance the hydrogen (H) atoms:
There are 9 H atoms on the left side (3 from H3PO4 and 6 from Mg(OH)2), and only 2 H atoms on the right side. To balance the H, we place a coefficient of 6 in front of H2O:
3 H3PO4 + Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + 6 H2O
Now, let's balance the oxygen (O) atoms:
There are 14 O atoms on the left side (12 from 3 H3PO4 and 2 from Mg(OH)2), and 20 O atoms on the right side (16 from Mg3(PO4)2 and 4 from 6 H2O). To balance the O, we place a coefficient of 4 in front of Mg(OH)2:
3 H3PO4 + 4 Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + 6 H2O
So, the balanced equation is:
3 H3PO4 + 4 Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 + 6 H2O