What is the balanced equation of gaseous phosphorus pentachloride decomposed to chlorine gas and phosphorus trichloride.
PCl5(g) ==> PCl3(g) + Cl2(g)
To find the balanced equation for the decomposition of gaseous phosphorus pentachloride (PCl5) into chlorine gas (Cl2) and phosphorus trichloride (PCl3), you need to follow a step-by-step approach:
Step 1: Write the chemical formula for each compound involved in the reaction.
Phosphorus pentachloride: PCl5
Chlorine gas: Cl2
Phosphorus trichloride: PCl3
Step 2: Identify the elements in each compound and count the number of atoms in each element on both sides of the equation.
Starting with PCl5:
Phosphorus (P): 1 atom on the left side, 1 atom on the right side
Chlorine (Cl): 5 atoms on the left side, 0 atoms on the right side
Starting with Cl2:
Chlorine (Cl): 0 atoms on the left side, 2 atoms on the right side
Starting with PCl3:
Phosphorus (P): 0 atoms on the left side, 1 atom on the right side
Chlorine (Cl): 3 atoms on the left side, 3 atoms on the right side
Step 3: Balance the equation by adjusting the coefficients (numbers in front of each compound) to make the number of atoms on both sides of the equation equal.
The balanced equation for the decomposition of PCl5 can be written as:
PCl5 → PCl3 + Cl2
This equation is balanced because both sides of the reaction have an equal number of atoms for each element:
Phosphorus (P): 1 atom on the left side, 1 atom on the right side
Chlorine (Cl): 5 atoms on the left side, 3 atoms on the right side
Remember, when balancing equations, you can only change the coefficients (numbers in front of each compound) and never the subscripts (numbers written below the line in a chemical formula), as subscripts represent the ratio of atoms within a molecule.