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Ch.3 - Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions

Chapter 3, Problem 43b

Balance the following equations. (b) Ca3(PO4)2(s) + SiO2(s) + C(s) --> P4(g) + CaSiO3(l) + CO(g)

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Hey everyone, we're asked to write a balanced equation by providing the correct coefficients. So let's go ahead and rewrite this equation. We have potassium hydroxide plus iron, Three oxide plus oxygen, we then produce potassium fairy plus our water 1st. Let's go ahead and calculate the number of each element on each side. Starting with our react inside. Looking at our potassium, we have one a potassium. Next looking at our iron, we have two of iron. Looking at our oxygen, we have six of oxygen and looking at our hydrogen, we have one of hydrogen. Next looking at our product side, we have two of potassium, we have one of iron. We have five of oxygen and two of hydrogen 1st. Let's go ahead and balance out our iron on our product side and we can do so by adding a coefficient of two prior to our potassium ferry. So now we have two of iron, We have four a potassium and we have nine of oxygen. Now let's go ahead and balance out our potassium in our react inside. We can go ahead and add a coefficient of four prior to our potassium hydroxide. Once we do that, we get four potassium, we got nine of oxygen and we get four of hydrogen. Next let's go ahead and balance out our hydrogen on our product side and we can do so by adding a two prior to our water. Once we do that, we end up with four of hydrogen, but now our oxygen's will also change. Now we have 10 of oxygen. Looking at the values on our product and our react inside. It looks like our oxygen's are the only difference. Now if we add a coefficient of 3/2 prior to our oxygen, we're able to get those 10 oxygen's and everything seems to be balanced out, but we can't have a fraction as a coefficient. So we will have to multiply our whole equation by two. So once we do that, our balanced chemical equation is going to change. So we're going to end up With eight a potassium hydroxide Plus two of our iron, three oxide Plus three of our oxygen. And our products are going to be four of our potassium ferry, plus four of our water. And this is going to be our balanced chemical equation. Now, I hope that made sense. And let us know if you have any questions.