Balance this equation:
[?]Na²SO⁴(aq) + [?]CaCl²(aq) -> [?]CaSO⁴(s) + [?] NaCl(aq)
I don't understand chemistry at all :((((
Not surprising, since those should be subscripts, not superscripts. So, ignoring for the moment all the phase indications (yes, they are important, but just clutter things up while we're trying to balance the equation), we have
Na2SO4 + CaCl2 -> CaSO4 + NaCl
We need to make sure that the same number of atoms wind up on both sides of the equation. Right off, we see that we have 2 atoms of Na and Cl on the left, and only one on the right. So, a good place to start would be
Na2SO4 + CaCl2 -> CaSO4 + 2NaCl
Now we have 2 Na on each side. In fact, now we're done, since we now also have 2 Cl one each side. Since Na and Cl have a valence of 1, and Ca and SO4 have a valence of 2, now things match up.
Now you can tidy things up to indicate where the solutions and precipitates are.
i still have 0 understanding
friends you should consult:
google
youtube
your class text
If you have been given this problem, and you have zero understanding, you must not have been paying attention. Teachers really don't just pop in one day and say -- Here's a problem that we have never studied. Do it all on your own.
No worries! I'm here to help you. Balancing chemical equations might seem confusing at first, but it becomes easier with practice. Here's a step-by-step guide to balancing this particular equation:
Step 1: Identify the elements and write down their chemical formulas.
In this equation, we have:
Na₂SO₄ (sodium sulfate)
CaCl₂ (calcium chloride)
CaSO₄ (calcium sulfate)
NaCl (sodium chloride)
Step 2: Count the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation. Begin with the most complex molecule, usually one containing the most elements.
Starting with sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), we have:
2 sodium (Na) atoms on the left and 1 on the right.
1 sulfur (S) atom on each side.
4 oxygen (O) atoms on the left and 4 on the right.
For calcium chloride (CaCl₂):
1 calcium (Ca) atom on each side.
2 chlorine (Cl) atoms on the left and 2 on the right.
Next, look at calcium sulfate (CaSO₄):
1 calcium (Ca) atom on each side.
1 sulfur (S) atom on each side.
4 oxygen (O) atoms on the right, but none on the left.
Lastly, for sodium chloride (NaCl):
1 sodium (Na) atom on the left and none on the right.
1 chlorine (Cl) atom on each side.
Step 3: Balance the equation by adjusting the coefficients (the numbers in front of each formula) to ensure the same number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation.
To balance the sodium (Na) atoms, we need 2 on the right side, so we put a "2" in front of NaCl:
Na₂SO₄ + CaCl₂ -> CaSO₄ + 2NaCl
To balance the chlorine (Cl) atoms, we need 2 on the left side, so we put a "2" in front of CaCl₂:
Na₂SO₄ + 2CaCl₂ -> CaSO₄ + 2NaCl
To balance the calcium (Ca) atoms, we now have 2 on the left side, but only 1 on the right, so we put a "2" in front of CaSO₄:
Na₂SO₄ + 2CaCl₂ -> 2CaSO₄ + 2NaCl
And finally, to check if the equation is balanced, count the atoms again:
On the left side:
2 sodium (Na) atoms
1 sulfur (S) atom
4 oxygen (O) atoms
2 calcium (Ca) atoms
4 chlorine (Cl) atoms
On the right side:
2 sodium (Na) atoms
2 sulfur (S) atoms
8 oxygen (O) atoms
2 calcium (Ca) atoms
2 chlorine (Cl) atoms
All the atoms are now balanced, and the equation is properly balanced.
The balanced equation is:
Na₂SO₄ + 2CaCl₂ -> 2CaSO₄ + 2NaCl