Are these equations balanced or unbalanced
1. Mg + 2HCl Yields MgCl2+H2
Balanced
2.H2+O2 Yields H2O
Unbalanced
Right on both.
Thanks
To determine whether an equation is balanced or unbalanced, you need to count the number of atoms of each element on both the reactant and product sides of the chemical equation.
1. Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2
Counting the atoms, we have:
Reactant side: 1 Mg, 2 H, 2 Cl
Product side: 1 Mg, 2 Cl, 1 H2
To balance the equation, you want the same number of each element on both sides. Here's how you can balance it:
First, check if the number of atoms is already balanced for any element that appears in more than one compound. In this case, Mg and Cl are already balanced.
Next, balance hydrogen (H) by adding a coefficient of 2 in front of HCl on the reactant side:
Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2
The equation is now balanced because the number of each element on both sides is the same.
2. H2 + O2 → H2O
Counting the atoms, we have:
Reactant side: 2 H, 2 O
Product side: 2 H, 1 O
In this case, the numbers of hydrogen are already balanced, but the oxygen is not. To balance the equation:
Add a coefficient of 2 in front of H2O on the product side:
H2 + O2 → 2H2O
Now the equation is balanced because the number of each element on both sides is the same.