To balance the equation H₂ + O₂ → H₂O, you need to ensure that the number of each type of atom is the same on both sides of the equation. Here's how you can balance this equation step by step:
1. Count the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation:
- Hydrogen (H):
- Left side: 2 atoms from H₂
- Right side: 2 atoms from H₂O
- Oxygen (O):
- Left side: 2 atoms from O₂
- Right side: 1 atom from H₂O
2. Start by balancing the hydrogen atoms first since they are not balanced:
- Since there are 2 hydrogen atoms in H₂ and 2 in H₂O, hydrogen is already balanced.
3. Next, balance the oxygen atoms:
- There are 2 oxygen atoms in O₂ and 1 in H₂O, so you need to add another oxygen atom to H₂O to balance the equation.
4. To balance the oxygen atoms, you can place a coefficient of 2 in front of H₂O:
- The balanced equation will then be:
2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O
By following these steps, you can balance the chemical equation H₂ + O₂ → H₂O correctly.
