Writing and Balancing Chemical Equations

The preceding chapter introduced the use of element symbols to represent individual atoms. When
atoms gain or lose electrons to yield ions, or combine with other atoms to form molecules, their
symbols are modified or combined to generate chemical formulas that appropriately represent these
species. Extending this symbolism to represent both the identities and the relative quantities of
substances undergoing a chemical (or physical) change involves writing and balancing a chemical
equation. Consider as an example the reaction between one methane molecule (CH 4) and two
diatomic oxygen molecules (O2) to produce one carbon dioxide molecule (CO2) and two water
molecules (H2O). The chemical equation representing this process is provided in the upper half of
Figure 1, with space-filling molecular models shown in the lower half of the figure.

Figure 1. The reaction between methane and oxygen to yield carbon dioxide in water (shown at bottom) may be represented by
a chemical equation using formulas (top).

This example illustrates the fundamental aspects of any chemical equation:

1. The substances undergoing reaction are called reactants, and their formulas are placed on the left side
of the equation.
2. The substances generated by the reaction are called products, and their formulas are placed on the
right sight of the equation.
3. Plus signs (+) separate individual reactant and product formulas, and an arrow (→→) separates the
reactant and product (left and right) sides of the equation.
4. The relative numbers of reactant and product species are represented by coefficients (numbers placed
immediately to the left of each formula). A coefficient of 1 is typically omitted.
It is common practice to use the smallest possible whole-number coefficients in a chemical equation,
as is done in this example. Realize, however, that these coefficients represent the relative numbers of
reactants and products, and, therefore, they may be correctly interpreted as ratios. Methane and
oxygen react to yield carbon dioxide and water in a 1:2:1:2 ratio. This ratio is satisfied if the numbers
of these molecules are, respectively, 1-2-1-2, or 2-4-2-4, or 3-6-3-6, and so on (Figure 2). Likewise,
these coefficients may be interpreted with regard to any amount (number) unit, and so this equation
may be correctly read in many ways, including:
 One methane molecule and two oxygen molecules react to yield one carbon dioxide molecule
and two water molecules.
 One dozen methane molecules and two dozen oxygen molecules react to yield one dozen carbon
dioxide molecules and two dozen water molecules.
 One mole of methane molecules and 2 moles of oxygen molecules react to yield 1 mole of carbon
dioxide molecules and 2 moles of water molecules.

Figure 2. Regardless of the absolute number of molecules involved, the ratios between numbers of molecules are the same as
that given in the chemical equation.

Balancing Equations
A balanced chemical is equation has equal numbers of atoms for each element involved in the
reaction are represented on the reactant and product sides. This is a requirement the equation must
satisfy to be consistent with the law of conservation of matter. It may be confirmed by simply
summing the numbers of atoms on either side of the arrow and comparing these sums to ensure they
are equal. Note that the number of atoms for a given element is calculated by multiplying the
coefficient of any formula containing that element by the element’s subscript in the formula. If an
element appears in more than one formula on a given side of the equation, the number of atoms
represented in each must be computed and then added together. For example, both product species
in the example reaction, CO2 and H2O, contain the element oxygen, and so the number of oxygen
atoms on the product side of the equation is
(1CO2 molecule ×2 O atomsCO2 molecule )+(2H2O molecule ×1 O atomH2O molecule )=4 O
atoms(1CO2 molecule ×2 O atomsCO2 molecule )+(2H2O molecule ×1 O atomH2O
molecule )=4 O atoms

The equation for the reaction between methane and oxygen to yield carbon dioxide and water is
confirmed to be balanced per this approach, as shown here:

CH4+2O2→CO2+2H2OCH4+2O2→CO2+2H2O
 Element Reactants Products Balanced?

C 1×1=1 1×1=1 1 = 1, yes

H 4×1=4 2×2=4 4 = 4, yes

O 2×2=4 (1 × 2) + (2 × 1) = 4 4 = 4, yes

A balanced chemical equation often may be derived from a qualitative description of some chemical
reaction by a fairly simple approach known as balancing by inspection. Consider as an example the
decomposition of water to yield molecular hydrogen and oxygen. This process is represented
qualitatively by an unbalanced chemical equation:
H2O→H2+O2(unbalanced)H2O→H2+O2(unbalanced)

Comparing the number of H and O atoms on either side of this equation confirms its imbalance:

Element Reactants Products Balanced?

H 1×2=2 1×2=2 2 = 2, yes

O 1×1=1 1×2=2 1 ≠ 2, no

The numbers of H atoms on the reactant and product sides of the equation are equal, but the
numbers of O atoms are not. To achieve balance, the coefficients of the equation may be changed as
needed. Keep in mind, of course, that the formula subscripts define, in part, the identity of the
substance, and so these cannot be changed without altering the qualitative meaning of the equation.
For example, changing the reactant formula from H2O to H2O2 would yield balance in the number of
atoms, but doing so also changes the reactant’s identity (it’s now hydrogen peroxide and not water).
The O atom balance may be achieved by changing the coefficient for H 2O to 2.
2H2O→H2+O2(unbalanced)2H2O→H2+O2(unbalanced)
Element Reactants Products Balanced?

H 2 × 2 = 4 1×2=2 4 ≠ 2, no

O 2×1=2 1×2=2 2 = 2, yes

The H atom balance was upset by this change, but it is easily reestablished by changing the
coefficient for the H2 product to 2.
2H2O→2H2+O2(balanced)2H2O→2H2+O2(balanced)
Element Reactants Products Balanced?

H 2 × 2 = 4 2 × 2 = 2 4 = 4, yes

O 2×1=2 1×2=2 2 = 2, yes

 Element Reactants Products Balanced?

These coefficients yield equal numbers of both H and O atoms on the reactant and product sides, and
the balanced equation is, therefore:

2H2O→2H2+O22H2O→2H2+O2
EXAMPLE 1: BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
Write a balanced equation for the reaction of molecular nitrogen (N ) and oxygen (O ) to form dinitrogen
2 2

pentoxide.
Show Answer

Check Your Learning

Write a balanced equation for the decomposition of ammonium nitrate to form molecular nitrogen, molecular
oxygen, and water. (Hint: Balance oxygen last, since it is present in more than one molecule on the right side
of the equation.)
Show Answer
It is sometimes convenient to use fractions instead of integers as intermediate coefficients in the
process of balancing a chemical equation. When balance is achieved, all the equation’s coefficients
may then be multiplied by a whole number to convert the fractional coefficients to integers without
upsetting the atom balance. For example, consider the reaction of ethane (C 2H6) with oxygen to yield
H2O and CO2, represented by the unbalanced equation:
C2H6+O2→H2O+CO2(unbalanced)C2H6+O2→H2O+CO2(unbalanced)

Following the usual inspection approach, one might first balance C and H atoms by changing the
coefficients for the two product species, as shown:

C2H6+O2→3H2O+2CO2(unbalanced)C2H6+O2→3H2O+2CO2(unbalanced)
This results in seven O atoms on the product side of the equation, an odd number—no integer
coefficient can be used with the O2 reactant to yield an odd number, so a fractional coefficient, 7272 ,
is used instead to yield a provisional balanced equation:
C2H6+72O2→3H2O+2CO2C2H6+72O2→3H2O+2CO2

A conventional balanced equation with integer-only coefficients is derived by multiplying each

coefficient by 2:

2C2H6+7O2→6H2O+4CO22C2H6+7O2→6H2O+4CO2
Finally with regard to balanced equations, recall that convention dictates use of the smallest whole-
number coefficients. Although the equation for the reaction between molecular nitrogen and
molecular hydrogen to produce ammonia is, indeed, balanced,
3N2+9H2→6NH33N2+9H2→6NH3

the coefficients are not the smallest possible integers representing the relative numbers of reactant
and product molecules. Dividing each coefficient by the greatest common factor, 3, gives the
preferred equation:

N2+3H2→2NH3
Balance the following equations:
1. PCl5(s)+H2O(l)→POCl3(l)+HCl(aq)PCl5(s)+H2O(l)→POCl3(l)+HCl(aq)
2. Ag(s)+H2S(g)+O2(g)→Ag2S(s)+H2O(l)Ag(s)+H2S(g)+O2(g)→Ag2S(s)+H2O(l)
3. Cu(s)+HNO3(aq)→Cu(NO3)2(aq)+H2O(l)+NO(g)Cu(s)+HNO3(aq)→Cu(NO3)2(aq)+H2O(l)
+NO(g)
4. P4(s)+O2(g)→P4O10(s)P4(s)+O2(g)→P4O10(s)
5. H2(g)+I2(s)→HI(s)H2(g)+I2(s)→HI(s)
6. Pb(s)+H2O(l)+O2(g)→Pb(OH)2(s)Pb(s)+H2O(l)+O2(g)→Pb(OH)2(s)
7. Fe(s)+O2(g)→Fe2O3(s)Fe(s)+O2(g)→Fe2O3(s)
8. Fe(s)+H2O(l)→Fe3O4(s)+H2(g)Fe(s)+H2O(l)→Fe3O4(s)+H2(g)
9. Na(s)+H2O(l)→NaOH(aq)+H2(g)Na(s)+H2O(l)→NaOH(aq)+H2(g)
10. Sc2O3(s)+SO3(l)→Sc2(SO4)3(s)Sc2O3(s)+SO3(l)→Sc2(SO4)3(s)
11. (NH4)2Cr2O7(s)→Cr2O3(s)+N2(g)+H2O(g)(NH4)2Cr2O7(s)→Cr2O3(s)+N2(g)+H2O(g)
12. Ca3(PO4)2(aq)+H3PO4(aq)→Ca(H2PO4)2(aq)Ca3(PO4)2(aq)+H3PO4(aq)→Ca(H2PO4)2(aq)
13. P4(s)+Cl2(g)→PCl3(l)P4(s)+Cl2(g)→PCl3(l)
14. Al(s)+H2SO4(aq)→Al2(SO4)3(aq)+H2(g)Al(s)+H2SO4(aq)→Al2(SO4)3(aq)+H2(g)
15. PtCl4(s)→Pt(s)+Cl2(g)PtCl4(s)→Pt(s)+Cl2(g)
16. TiCl4(s)+H2O(g)→TiO2(s)+HCl(g)TiCl4(s)+H2O(g)→TiO2(s)+HCl(g)

The balanced equations are as follows:

1. PCl5(s)+H2O(l)→POCl3(l)+2HCl(aq);PCl5(s)+H2O(l)→POCl3(l)+2HCl(aq);
3. 3Cu(s)+8HNO3(aq)→3Cu(NO3)2(aq)+4H2O(l)+2NO(g);3Cu(s)+8HNO3(aq)→3Cu(NO3)2(aq)
+4H2O(l)+2NO(g);
5. H2(g)+I2(s)→2HI(s);H2(g)+I2(s)→2HI(s);
7. 4Fe(s)+3O2(g)→2Fe2O3(s);4Fe(s)+3O2(g)→2Fe2O3(s);
9. 2Na(s)+2H2O(l)→2NaOH(aq)+H2(g);2Na(s)+2H2O(l)→2NaOH(aq)+H2(g);
11. (NH4)2+Cr5O7(s)→Cr2O3(s)+N2(g)+4H2O(g);(NH4)2+Cr5O7(s)→Cr2O3(s)+N2(g)+4H2O(g);
13. P4(s)+6Cl2(g)→4PCl3(l);P4(s)+6Cl2(g)→4PCl3(l);
15. PtCl4(s)→Pt(s)+2Cl2(g)