What method do you use to balance a chemical equation?

Answer 1

PARTIAL EQUATION METHOD:-----

When equations contain many reactants and products they cannot be balanced by the hit and trial method. They are then balanced by the partial equation method. In this method the overall reaction is assumed to take place through two or more simpler reactions, which can be represented by partial equations. The steps involved are:

Steps and problem

* The given chemical equation is split into two or more partial equations.

* Each partial equation is separately balanced by the hit and trial method.

* These balanced partial equations are multiplied with suitable coefficients in order to exactly cancel out those common substances which do not appear in the overall chemical equations.

* The balanced partial equations so obtained, are added to arrive at the balanced chemical equation.

PROBLEM

Balance the equation,

NaOH + Cl2---------------------------------> NaCl + NaClO3 + H2O

by partial equation method.

SOLUTION

The given skeleton equation can be split into two partial equations.

Partial eq.1

NaOH + Cl2---------------------------------> NaCl + NaClO + H2O

Partial eq.2

NaOCl ------------------------------> NaCl + NaClO3

The two partial equations are balanced by hit and trial method.

Balanced partial eq.1

2NaOH + Cl2---------------------------------> NaCl + NaClO + H2O

Balanced partial eq.2

3NaOCl ---------------------------------> 2NaCl + NaClO3

NaClO does not appear in the overall equation and so to cancel it, the partial balanced equation 1 is multiplied by 3 and the two equations are added to get the overall balanced equation.

2 NaOH + Cl2---------------------------------> NaCl + NaClO + H2O * 3

3NaOCl ---------------------------------> 2NaCl + NaClO3

FINALLY

6NaOH + 3 Cl2---------------------------------> 5NaCl + NaClO3 + 3H2O

Answer 2

One method for balancing combustion equations is to balance the elements in the order of CHO: Carbon, Hydrogen, then Oxygen.

Some other Methods are:

Hit and Trial

Partial Eqn

Oxidation Method

Ionic Mehod

Algebric Method

Answer 3

Step 1) Make sure you have written the correct formulas for each substance, reactant and product. NEVER change subscripts after this.

Step 2) Count atoms of each element on the reactant and product sides. Use coefficients to balance each. Remember coefficients (just like in math) are multiplied to get the number of atoms. Usually you will balance all elements except oxygen first. Oxygen is last.

Answer 4

Simple first check one and then the second side and keep oon increasing the coefficients .