Is this equation balanced? Does it show that no atoms are lost or gained in chemical reactions?
8Fe + S8 --->8FeS
Yes, the equation you provided is balanced. It shows that no atoms are lost or gained in the chemical reaction.
To check if an equation is balanced, you need to ensure that the number of atoms on both sides of the equation is equal. Here's how you can balance this equation step by step:
First, count the number of atoms on both sides of the equation:
On the left side of the equation, we have:
8 Fe (eight iron atoms)
1 S8 (eight sulfur atoms bonded together in a molecule)
On the right side of the equation, we have:
8 Fe (eight iron atoms)
8 FeS (eight iron atoms combined with sulfur)
Now let's balance the equation by adding coefficients (whole numbers) in front of the chemical formulas:
8 Fe + S8 ---> 8 FeS
By placing a coefficient of 8 in front of FeS on the right side, we balance the sulfur atoms:
8 Fe + S8 ---> 8 FeS
Both sides of the equation now have 8 sulfur atoms, but we need to ensure that the number of iron atoms is also balanced. Since we have 8 iron atoms on the left side, we don't need to modify the coefficient in front of Fe.
Therefore, the balanced equation is:
8 Fe + S8 ---> 8 FeS
In this balanced equation, the number of iron and sulfur atoms is the same on both sides, indicating that no atoms are lost or gained in the chemical reaction.