A balanced chemical equation shows the number of particles of each substance involved in a chemical reaction. Such an equation includes formulas and coefficients. A formula includes symbols for each type of atom in the substance. The coefficients are the numbers present in front of the formulae. If you are given a verbal description of a reaction, then you can identify the reactant and product formulae and write a balanced chemical equation with the formulae and some coefficients.
Writing Balanced Chemical Equations - Questions 11 Help
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There are two questions in this Question Group. The two questions are very similar or are the same type of reaction The question below is one of the questions.
Version 1:
The sentence below describes a chemical reaction. Write and balance the equation for this reaction.
Silver(I) sulfate reacts with barium chloride to produce silver(I) chloride and barium sulfate.
To be successful with this question, you need to understand what a double replacement reaction is, how to write formulas for ionic compounds, and how to balance a chemical equation.
A double replacement reaction involves the reaction of two ionic compounds to form two different ionic compounds. The positive ion in one compound replaces the positive ion in the other compound. When the reaction is over, the cations have replaced each other in the other formula. The generic equation for such a reaction is ...
Understanding this about double replacement reactions and formula writing allows you to get through Step 1 and Step 2 of the question. That leaves Step 3 in which you have to identify the lowest possible whole number coefficients.
The infographic below describes a step-by-step method for balancing a chemical equation. Study the method and then apply it to this question.
A double replacement reaction involves the reaction of two ionic compounds to form two different ionic compounds. The positive ion in one compound replaces the positive ion in the other compound. When the reaction is over, the cations have replaced each other in the other formula. The generic equation for such a reaction is ...
AB + CD ==> AD + CB
Here A, B, C, and D are fictional elements or ions. A and C are the metal elements or positive ions. B and D represent nonmetals or negative ions. You will notice that A was orginally paired with B on the reactant side; but on the product side A is paired with D. Similarly, the positive ion C starts with the anion D on the reactant side but finishes paired with B on the product side of the equation. As such, A and C have switched places. You need to ....
Analyze the two reactants in your equation and identify the formulae of the two cations (positive ions) in the reactants. Also identify the formulae of the two anions (negative ions). Then to determine the products, switch the cations to the other anion. You'd be wise to use some paper, write some formulae down, and take your time. A minute spent writing down some formulae for the cations and anions will both build some good skill and probably save you time and frustration as you attempt to get this question correct. The formulae for the product is going to require some good skill in and of itself. Use the link below to assist with formula writing.
Analyze the two reactants in your equation and identify the formulae of the two cations (positive ions) in the reactants. Also identify the formulae of the two anions (negative ions). Then to determine the products, switch the cations to the other anion. You'd be wise to use some paper, write some formulae down, and take your time. A minute spent writing down some formulae for the cations and anions will both build some good skill and probably save you time and frustration as you attempt to get this question correct. The formulae for the product is going to require some good skill in and of itself. Use the link below to assist with formula writing.
Understanding this about double replacement reactions and formula writing allows you to get through Step 1 and Step 2 of the question. That leaves Step 3 in which you have to identify the lowest possible whole number coefficients.
The infographic below describes a step-by-step method for balancing a chemical equation. Study the method and then apply it to this question.