Balancing Chemical Equations:

Now, when we write chemical equations, we need to have the formulas for the
reagents on the left side (the stuff that's going to do the chemical reaction) and the
formulas for the products (the stuff you make) on the right. If we were to simply put
the formulas of the chemicals on the left and right without saying how much of it was
going to react, then we would run the risk of saying that the mass of what we end up
with is different than the mass of what we started with.

The bottom line: You need to balance the equations by sticking numbers in front of
the chemicals on the left and right sides of the equation, like it or not. How can you
do this? Check out the next section, titled...

There are four easy steps that you need to follow to make this work. Here they are:

1. Get yourself an unbalanced equation.

2. Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas. Never, ever, change anything inside
the boxes, EVER REALLY. If you do, you're guaranteed to get the answer wrong.

3. Make an element inventory. How are you going to know if the equation is balanced
if you don't actually make a list of how many of each atom you have? You have to
make an inventory of how many atoms of each element you have, and then you
have to keep it current throughout the whole problem.

4. Write numbers in front of each of the boxes until the inventory for each
element is the same both before and after the reaction. Whenever you change a
number, make sure to update the inventory - otherwise, you run the risk of
balancing it incorrectly.

For example,

Step 1: We got an unbalanced equation

NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + H2O

Step 2: Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas

 NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + H2O

Step 3: Make an element inventory. In this inventory, your job is to figure out how
many atoms of each element you have on the left and right sides of the equation.

Now, if you look at the equation, you should be able to see that on the left side of
the equation there is 1 Na atom, 5 O atoms (one from NaOH, four from H2SO4 ), 3
H atoms (one from NaOH, two from H2SO4 ), and 1 S atom (one from H2SO4 ).

On the right side of the equation, there are 2 Na atoms, 1 S atom, 5 O atoms and
2 H atoms, thus your element inventory should look like this:

NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + H2O

Element Before After

Na 1 2
O 5 5
H 3 2
S 1 1

Step 4: Write numbers in front of each of the boxes until the inventory for each
element is the same both before and after the reaction. Now, what happens when we
put a number in front of a formula? Basically, anything in that box is multiplied by
that number, because we're saying that we have that many of that kind of molecule.
So, looking at the inventory, what should we do?

Balance one chemical element at a time. Well, we can see that on the left side of the
inventory, there is 1 Na atom and on the right there are 2. The solution: Stick a "2"
in front of NaOH on the left side of the equation so that the numbers of sodium
atoms are the same on both sides of the equation. By doing that, the number of O and
H atoms will also change!

2NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + H2O

Element Before After

Na 12 2
 O 56 5
H 34 2
S 1 1
You can see from the inventory that on the right side of the equation, there are 2 H
atoms and on the left there are 4. Using your amazing powers of mathematics (and
hopefully not needing to use a calculator), you can see that 2 x 2 = 4. That's what you
need to do. How? Put a "2" in front of H2O on the right side of the equation to make
the H balance out. Again, the number of O will also change!

Now that this is done, the inventory should look something like this:

2NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + 2H2O

Element Before After

Na 12 2
O 56 56
H 34 24
S 1 1

Hence the balanced equation should look like this:

2NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + 2H2O

Let’s take another example:

FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  BeCl2 + FePO4

Step 2: Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas

FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  BeCl2 + FePO4

Step 3: Make an element inventory.

FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  BeCl2 + FePO4

Element Before After

 Fe 1 1
Cl 3 2
Be 3 1
P 2 1
O 8 4
Step 4:

First, look at Be atom. There are 3 before the reaction and only 1 after the
reaction. The solution: Stick a "3" in front of BeCl2 on the right side of the equation
so that the numbers of Be atoms are the same on both sides of the equation. By doing
that, the number of Cl atoms will also change. Thus

The new atom inventory should look like this:

FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  3BeCl2 + FePO4

Element Before After

Fe 1 1
Cl 3 26
Be 3 13
P 2 1
O 8 4

Looking at the Cl atoms, there are now 6 Cl atoms on the right side but on the left
only 3. The solution: Stick a "2" in front of FeCl3 on the left side of the equation so
that the numbers of Cl atoms are the same on both sides of the equation. By doing
that, the number of Fe will also change!

2FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  3BeCl2 + FePO4

Element Before After

Fe 12 1
Cl 36 26
Be 3 13
P 2 1
O 8 4

Looking at the Fe atoms, there are now 2 Fe atoms on the left side and 1 on the
right. The solution, Stick a "2" in front of FePO4 on the right side of the equation so
that the numbers of Fe atoms are the same on both sides of the equation. By doing
that, the number of P and O will also change!

2FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  3BeCl2 + 2FePO4

Element Before After

Fe 12 12
Cl 36 26
Be 3 13
P 2 12
O 8 48

The equation is now balanced and should look like this:

2FeCl3 + Be3(PO4)2  3BeCl2 + 2FePO4

Another example:

Ca3N2 + H2O  NH3 + CaO

Step 2: Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas

Ca3N2 + H2O  NH3 + CaO

Step 3: Make an element inventory.

Ca3N2 + H2O  NH3 + CaO

Element Before After

Ca 3 1
N 2 1
H 2 3
O 1 1
Step 4:

Ca3N2 + H2O  NH3 + 3CaO

Element Before After

Ca 3 13
N 2 1
H 2 3
O 1 13

Ca3N2 + 3H2O  NH3 + 3CaO

Element Before After

Ca 3 13
N 2 1
H 26 3
O 13 13

Ca3N2 + 3H2O  2NH3 + 3CaO

Element Before After

Ca 3 13
N 2 12
H 26 36
O 13 13

Final balanced equation

 Ca3N2 + 3H2O  2NH3 + 3CaO

Another example:

C4H10 + O2  CO2 + H2O

Step 2: Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas

C4H10 + O2  CO2 + H2O

Step 3: Make an element inventory.

C4H10 + O2  CO2 + H2O

Element Before After

C 4 1
H 10 2
O 2 3

C4H10 + O2  4CO2 + H2O

Element Before After

C 4 14
H 10 2
O 2 39

C4H10 + O2  4CO2 + 5H2O

 Element Before After
C 4 14
H 10 210
O 2 3913

C4H10 + 13/2O2  4CO2 + 5H2O

Element Before After

C 4 14
H 10 210
O 213/2 3913

The equation is now balanced and should look like this:

C4H10 + 6.5O2  4CO2 + 5H2O

It is better to express the equation in whole numbers. In this case, we simply multiply
everything by 2

2C4H10 + 13O2  8CO2 + 10H2O

Another example:

NH3 + O2  NO + H2O

Step 2: Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas

NH3 + O2  NO + H2O

Step 3: Make an element inventory.

NH3 + O2  NO + H2O

Element Before After

N 1 1
H 3 2
 O 2 2

What happens when you do the inventory, and you find that there are 3 H atoms on
the left side of the equation and 2 on the right? How can you make those matches?

The solution is when you run into this problem, find the lowest common denominator
of those two numbers!!

Looking at the H atoms, there are 3 on the left and 2 on the right. The lowest
common denominator of those 2 numbers is 6. Therefore the solution is to stick “2’ in
front of NH3 on the left side and “3” in front of H2O on the right.

The number of N, H, and O atoms will then have to be changed.

2NH3 + O2  NO + 3H2O

Element Before After

N 12 1
H 36 26
O 2 24

Looking at the N atoms. There are 2 N atoms on the left side and 1 on the right, the
solution is to stick “2” in front of NO on the right side so that the number of N on
the left and right side is the same. Hence

2NH3 + O2  2NO + 3H2O

Element Before After

N 12 12
H 36 26
O 2 245

Finally, looking at the O atoms. There are 2 O atoms on the left side and there are
5 on the right. The solution is to stick “2.5” in front of O 2 on the left side. The
equation then becomes
 2NH3 + 2.5O2  2NO + 3H2O

Element Before After

N 12 12
H 36 26
O 25 245

The equation is now balanced and should look like this:

2NH3 + 2.5O2  2NO + 3H2O

It is better to express the equation in whole numbers. In this case, we simply multiply
everything by 2

4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O

Ionic equations or net ionic equations are equations that show the essence of the
reaction. The main rule for balancing ionic equations is the charges in the net ionic
equation are conserved.

That means the net charge on the left side of the equation must equal to the net
charge on the right side.

This gives you a quick check on whether you made any careless mistakes.

Example:

BaCO3 (s) + H+ (aq)  Ba2+ (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)

Element Before After

Ba 1 1
C 1 1
O 3 3
H 1 2

Looking at H atom, on the right side, there are 2 H atoms, while on the left there is
only 1. The solution, stick a “2” in front of H+
 BaCO3 (s) + 2H+ (aq)  Ba2+ (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)

Element Before After

Ba 1 1
C 1 1
O 3 3
H 12 2

Now the molecules are balanced. Next we have to check the charges.

On the left side, only H+ has a charge of 1+, since there is 2H + so the net charge on
the left side is 2+.

On the right side, only Ba has a charge of 2+, so the net charge on the right side is 2+

Since both the left and right side has a charge of 2 +, then the charges are balanced.

Thus the balanced equation is

BaCO3 (s) + 2H+ (aq)  Ba2+ (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)

Let’s take another example:

2- 2-
Cr2O7 (aq) + OH- (aq)  CrO4 (aq) + H2O (l)

Element Before After

Cr 2 1
O 8 5
H 1 2

Looking at the Cr atom. On the left side there are 2 Cr atoms, while on the right
there is only 1. The solution, stick a “2” in front of CrO42- on the right side so that
the number of Cr atoms on the left and right are equal.
 2- 2-
Cr2O7 (aq) + OH- (aq)  2CrO4 (aq) + H2O (l)

Element Before After

Cr 2 12
O 8 59
H 1 2

Looking at the H atom. On the left side, there is 1 H atom, while on the right there
are 2. The solution, stick a “2” in front of OH - on the left side, so that the number of
H on both sides are equal.

2- 2-
Cr2O7 (aq) + 2OH- (aq)  2CrO4 (aq) + H2O (l)

Element Before After

Cr 2 12
O 89 59
H 12 2

The equation is now balanced in terms of molecules. How about the charges??
 On the left a total charge of 4- (2- for Cr2O7 & 2 x H-)
 On the right a total charge of 4- (2 x CrO42-)

The charges on both sides are equal, hence the balanced equation
2- 2-
Cr2O7 (aq) + 2OH- (aq)  2CrO4 (aq) + H2O (l)

One final example:

+
Al3+ (aq) + NH3 (g) + H2O (l)  Al(OH)3 (s) + NH4 (aq)

Element Before After

Al 1 1
N 1 1
H 5 7
O 1 3
Looking at O atom. There is 1 on the left side while there are 3 on the right. The
solution, stick a “3” in front of H2O.

+
Al3+ (aq) + NH3 (g) + 3H2O (l)  Al(OH)3 (s) + NH4 (aq)

Element Before After

Al 1 1
N 1 1
H 59 7
O 13 3

Looking at the charges now rather than the atoms. There is a 3+ charge on the left
side (Al) while there is only a 1 + charge on the right (NH4). The solution, stick a “3” in
front of NH4 on the right side so that the charges will become 3 + (3 x 1+)

+
Al3+ (aq) + NH3 (g) + 3H2O (l)  Al(OH)3 (s) + 3NH4 (aq)

Element Before After

Al 1 1
N 1 13
H 59 7 15
O 13 3

Finally looking at N atom. There are 3 N atom on the right while there is only 1 on the
left. The solution, stick a “3” in front of NH3.

+
Al3+ (aq) + 3NH3 (g) + 3H2O (l)  Al(OH)3 (s) + 3NH4 (aq)

Element Before After

Al 1 1
N 13 13
 H 5 9 15 7 15
O 13 3

Hence the balanced equation:

+
Al3+ (aq) + 3NH3 (g) + 3H2O (l)  Al(OH)3 (s) + 3NH4 (aq)