I am having trouble balancing this equation:
Ca(OH){subscript 2} + (NH{subscript 4}){subscript 2} SO{subscript 4} -> CaSO{subscript 4} + NH{subscript 3} + H{subscript 2} O
Please help, thanks.
Ca(OH)2 + (NH4)2SO4 --> CaSO4+ 2NH3 + ?___H2O
I'm still confused...
To balance the equation:
Step 1: Count the number of atoms of each element on both the reactant and product sides of the equation.
Reactant side:
Ca: 1
O: 2
H: 2
N: 2
S: 1
Product side:
Ca: 1
O: 5
H: 4
N: 1
S: 1
Step 2: Start with the most complex molecule, in this case, (NH{subscript 4}){subscript 2} SO{subscript 4}.
On the reactant side, there are 2 NH{subscript 4} groups, so place a coefficient of 2 in front of NH{subscript 3} on the product side.
2(NH{subscript 4}){subscript 2}SO{subscript 4} -> CaSO{subscript 4} + NH{subscript 3} + H{subscript 2}O
Reactant side:
Ca: 1
O: 2
H: 2
N: 4
S: 2
Product side:
Ca: 1
O: 5
H: 6
N: 2
S: 1
Step 3: Balance the remaining elements one by one. Let's start with sulfur (S).
On the reactant side, there are two sulfates (SO{subscript 4}), so place a coefficient of 2 in front of CaSO{subscript 4} on the product side.
2(NH{subscript 4}){subscript 2}SO{subscript 4} -> 2CaSO{subscript 4} + NH{subscript 3} + H{subscript 2}O
Reactant side:
Ca: 2
O: 8
H: 2
N: 4
S: 4
Product side:
Ca: 2
O: 10
H: 6
N: 2
S: 2
Step 4: Balance oxygen (O).
On the reactant side, there are 4 oxygen atoms from the sulfates (SO{subscript 4}) and 1 from water (H{subscript 2}O), totaling 5 oxygen atoms. To balance this, place a coefficient of 5/2 (which can be written as 2.5) in front of H{subscript 2}O on the product side.
2(NH{subscript 4}){subscript 2}SO{subscript 4} -> 2CaSO{subscript 4} + NH{subscript 3} + 2.5H{subscript 2}O
Reactant side:
Ca: 2
O: 8
H: 2
N: 4
S: 4
Product side:
Ca: 2
O: 12.5
H: 6
N: 2
S: 2
Step 5: Convert the coefficients to whole numbers by multiplying through by 2.
4(NH{subscript 4}){subscript 2}SO{subscript 4} -> 4CaSO{subscript 4} + 2NH{subscript 3} + 5H{subscript 2}O
Reactant side:
Ca: 4
O: 16
H: 4
N: 8
S: 4
Product side:
Ca: 4
O: 25
H: 12
N: 2
S: 2
Now the equation is balanced with the same number of atoms of each element on both sides.