Balance the following the chemical equation:
Al + O2 → Al2O3
2 Al + 3/2 O2 → Al2O3
To balance the chemical equation Al + O2 → Al2O3, you need to ensure that the number of atoms on both sides of the equation is equal.
Let's start by balancing the aluminum (Al) atoms. There are 2 aluminum atoms on the right side in Al2O3, so we need to put a coefficient of 2 in front of Al on the left side:
2 Al + O2 → Al2O3
Next, let's balance the oxygen (O) atoms. There are 3 oxygen atoms on the right side in Al2O3, so we need to put a coefficient of 3 in front of O2 on the left side:
2 Al + 3 O2 → Al2O3
Now, both sides of the equation have an equal number of aluminum and oxygen atoms, and the chemical equation is balanced.
To balance the chemical equation for the reaction between aluminum (Al) and oxygen gas (O2) to form aluminum oxide (Al2O3), follow these steps:
Step 1: Write down the unbalanced equation.
Al + O2 → Al2O3
Step 2: Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.
Left side (reactants): Al: 1 Al atom; O: 2 O atoms
Right side (products): Al: 2 Al atoms; O: 3 O atoms
Step 3: Balance the atoms one at a time, starting with the most complex molecule (in this case, Al2O3).
Since there are two Al atoms on the right side and only one on the left side, we need to balance the aluminum atoms first by placing a coefficient in front of Al on the left side:
2Al + O2 → Al2O3
Step 4: Now, let's balance the oxygen atoms.
The left side has two oxygen atoms from O2, while the right side contains three oxygen atoms from Al2O3. To balance this, we need to put a coefficient of 3/2 in front of O2 to double the number of oxygen atoms:
2Al + (3/2) O2 → Al2O3
However, fractional coefficients are not standard in balanced chemical equations. To fix this, we can multiply every coefficient by 2 to eliminate the fraction:
4Al + 3O2 → 2Al2O3
Now, the equation is balanced with four aluminum atoms, six oxygen atoms, and two aluminum oxide molecules.