Balancing of chemical equation

Balancing of chemical equation

For the quantative study a chemical reaction a balance chemical equation is necessary.Following are the steps for developing of a balancing of chemical equation 

Chemical change description

  Powdery magnesium oxide magnesium is produced when Magnesium strip burns in oxygen gas.  Converting this description into a balanced equation completes in following steps

Step number 1:- In this step Translation of the statement done.

  The  species  present  before  the  change,  called  reactants( in this case magnesium and Oxygen gas),  are kept on the left  side of a  arrow, the arrow  points to the specie obtained during the change, called products ( in this case magnesium oxide).

                                      

Step number number  2 :- In this step balancing of atoms is done.

Atoms of each element  on the left and the right of the arrow  should be equal .While balancing atoms of one element should be balanced at a time. Balance the complex substance first and then simple one.

Oxygen balancing

     In the above equation  MgO is the most complex substance, to balance oxygen atoms on both sides well place 2 as coefficient before MgO  because reactant side has two oxygen while product has one oxygen.

                                         

Magnesium balancing

The above equation shows that there are 2 atoms of Mg  on the right side of arrow while one atom of Mg on the left side ,so a coefficient 2 is put before Mg on the left side of of the above equation.

                                       

Finally Checking atoms of all the elements  is done.

    

Step number 3 :- In this step the state of species involved in the reaction is Specified.

In the above reaction Mg  and MgO both are in solid state that’s why (s) has been used for them while oxygen is in the gaseous state so (g) has been used for it.