_____ H2C2O4 + _____ NaOH ______Na2C2O4 + _____ H2O
1,2,1,2
It helps balancing, if you write the product water as H OH
To balance the chemical equation:
Step 1: Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.
On the left side:
- Carbon (C): 2
- Hydrogen (H): 2
- Oxygen (O): 8
On the right side:
- Sodium (Na): 2
- Carbon (C): 2
- Hydrogen (H): 2
- Oxygen (O): 8
Step 2: Balance the atoms in the equation by adjusting the coefficients.
The carbon atoms are already balanced with 2 on each side.
The hydrogen atoms are already balanced with 2 on each side.
To balance the oxygen atoms, we need to add coefficients to the molecules containing oxygen.
On the left side, there are 4 oxygen atoms due to two oxygen atoms in each molecule of H2C2O4.
On the right side, there are 8 oxygen atoms due to 4 oxygen atoms in each molecule of Na2C2O4.
To balance the oxygen atoms, we need to multiply the coefficient of H2C2O4 by 2:
2 H2C2O4 + _____ NaOH → _____ Na2C2O4 + _____ H2O
Now, the equation becomes:
2 H2C2O4 + _____ NaOH → _____ Na2C2O4 + 2 H2O
Step 3: Balance the remaining atoms.
On the right side, there are 2 sodium atoms due to 2 sodium atoms in each molecule of Na2C2O4.
To balance the sodium atoms, we need to add a coefficient of 2 to NaOH:
2 H2C2O4 + 2 NaOH → _____ Na2C2O4 + 2 H2O
Now, the equation becomes:
2 H2C2O4 + 2 NaOH → _____ Na2C2O4 + 2 H2O
Finally, the balanced equation is:
2 H2C2O4 + 2 NaOH → Na2C2O4 + 2 H2O