I DONT UNDERSTAND THIS AT ALL! SO PLEASE EXPLAIN IT WELL SO I CAN UNDERSTAND IT? DO WE JUST GUESS AND CHECK AND CHOOSE A COEFFICIENT>? i dont get this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2007-01-17 16:35:26 · 2 answers · asked by Christina G. 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
no... ok, suppose that this is the equation...
Na2CO3 + HCl ==== NaCl + H2CO3
this is not balanced... what that means is that, the element, or more like ions, are not equal on both sides... they have to be... so to balance them, we have to put in numbers infront of the compounds so that both sides have equal number of the same elements... like this...
Na2CO3 + ((2))HCl ==== ((2))NaCl + H2CO3
the 2 represents 2 molecules... and if you see now, both sides have the equal ammount of the elements... 2 Na, 2 H, 2 Cl, 1 CO3... that wasn't the case in the original problem...
still don't get it... just ask, will be glad to help...
2007-01-17 16:44:55 · answer #1 · answered by Rogue Bagel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I make a chart with three solumns: reactant (R), atom (A) and product (P)...my RAP chart!
List the atoms in the middle column under A.
Start with the side that has the highest number of a particular atom
Let's use ____ C6H12O6 + ____ O2 -> ____ CO2 + ____ H2O
There are 6 C on reactant side, so need to put 6 in front of CO2
There are 12H on reactant side, so need to put 6 in front of H2O
Now count the oxygens on product side since that side has the most now: 18 O
Subtract the 6 from the first reactant (18-6=12)
Now put a 6 in front of O2 to balance
It is not really a guess and check....start with your highest and work down
2007-01-18 00:55:17 · answer #2 · answered by teachbio 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋