To write the balanced chemical equation for the given reaction, we need to follow these steps:
1. Identify the reactants and products in the reaction:
Reactants:
- 2 atoms of solid lithium (Li)
- 2 molecules of liquid water (H₂O)
Products:
- 2 units of aqueous lithium hydroxide (LiOH)
- 1 molecule of hydrogen gas (H₂)
2. Write the unbalanced equation:
2Li (s) + 2H₂O (l) → 2LiOH (aq) + H₂ (g)
3. Balance the equation by adjusting the coefficients to ensure the conservation of mass:
2Li (s) + 2H₂O (l) → 2LiOH (aq) + H₂ (g)
This equation is already balanced since there are equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.
Therefore, the balanced chemical equation for the given reaction is:
2Li (s) + 2H₂O (l) → 2LiOH (aq) + H₂ (g)
This equation shows that when two atoms of solid lithium react with two molecules of liquid water, they produce two units of aqueous lithium hydroxide and one molecule of hydrogen gas.
