The Unconditional Guru

The need of balancing the chemical equation.

The law of conservation of mass , “ Mass can neither be created nor be destroyed during any chemical change”.

So the number of atoms on both RHS and LHS must be equal in the chemical equation.

We have to check the total number of atoms on RHS is equal to the total number of atoms on RHS.

If the total number of atoms on LHS is not equal to RHS , then we have to balance the equation.

here are some steps to balance a chemical reaction. for understanding it better lets take an example that can help us:-

Fe   +  H₂O ——–> Fe₃O₄ + H₂

the above reaction which is not balanced but it simply tell us about the reactants and products is a Skeletal chemical equation.

now lets balance it, you are adviced to read it again and again.

1. Step 1 :- write down the complete chemical equation and make separate brackets around the formulae. lets take an example As shown below:-

(Fe)   + (H₂O) ——–> (Fe₃O₄ ) + (H₂)

Step 2 : the number of atoms of different elements present in unbalanced equation.

Element	Number of atoms on LHS (reactants)	Number of atoms on RHS (products)
Fe	1	3
H	2	2
O	1	4

Step 3 : (a) start from balancing the compound containing maximum number of atoms. This can be a reactant or product.
(b) now select the element with maximum number of atoms.
So from here we can choose Fe₃O₄  and balance the O first.

Atoms of Oxygen	In reactants	In Products
(i)Initial (ii)To balance	1 (in H2O) 1 X 4	4 (in Fe3O4) 4

 (Fe)   + 4 (H₂O) ——–> (Fe₃O₄ ) + (H₂)

Step 4: Now balance H atoms similarily.

Atoms of  hydrogen	In reactants	In products
(i)Initial (ii)To balance	8 (in 4H2O  ) 8	2 (in  H2   ) 2 X 4

 (Fe)   + 4 (H₂O) ——–> (Fe₃O₄ ) + 4 (H₂)

Step 5: Now balance Fe atoms similarily

Atoms of Iron	In reactants	In products
(i)Initial (ii)To balance	1 (in Fe) 1 X 3	3 (in Fe3O4   ) 3

 3(Fe)   + 4 (H₂O) ——–> (Fe₃O₄ ) + 4 (H₂)

Step 6: check for the corrections , count the number of atoms on LHS and RHS after removing the brackets.

3Fe   + 4 H₂O ——–> Fe₃O₄ + 4 H₂

Element	Number of atoms on LHS (reactants)	Number of atoms on RHS (products)
Fe	3	3
H	8	8
O	4	4

Step 7 :Now put the symbols of physical states in brackets after the formulas

3Fe(s)  + 4 H₂O(l) ——–> Fe₃O₄ (s) + 4 H₂(g)

(s)- solid, (g)- gas , (l)- liquid

Thanks for reading