Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correctly balanced chemical equation for the formation of sulfur trioxide from sulfur dioxide and oxygen?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Balancing Chemical Equations
Multiple Choice
Which of the following chemical equations is correctly balanced?
A
H_2 + O_2 ightarrow H_2O
B
2 H_2 + O_2 ightarrow 2 H_2O
C
2 H_2 + 2 O_2 ightarrow 2 H_2O
D
H_2 + 2 O_2 ightarrow 2 H_2O
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the chemical species involved in the reaction: hydrogen gas (\(\mathrm{H_2}\)) and oxygen gas (\(\mathrm{O_2}\)) react to form water (\(\mathrm{H_2O}\)).
Write the unbalanced chemical equation: \(\mathrm{H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow H_2O}\).
Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. On the reactant side, there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms; on the product side, there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
Balance the oxygen atoms by adjusting the coefficients. Since oxygen appears as \(\mathrm{O_2}\) on the left and as a single oxygen atom in \(\mathrm{H_2O}\) on the right, multiply \(\mathrm{H_2O}\) by 2 to have 2 oxygen atoms on the product side: \(\mathrm{H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2 H_2O}\).
Balance the hydrogen atoms by adjusting the coefficient of \(\mathrm{H_2}\) on the reactant side. Since there are 4 hydrogen atoms on the product side (from \(2 \times \mathrm{H_2O}\)), multiply \(\mathrm{H_2}\) by 2: \(\mathrm{2 H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2 H_2O}\). This equation is now balanced.
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