Balancing the chemical equation involves adjusting the coefficients to ensure the same number of each type of atom on both the reactant and product sides. First, balance the atoms sequentially, focusing on metals, non-metals, and lastly hydrogen and oxygen. In this equation, start by balancing the iodine atoms (I) by ensuring there are 4 NaI molecules. Next, balance the sodium atoms (Na) by adjusting Na₂SO₄ to 2 units. Confirm that the sulfate groups (SO₄) and lead (Pb) atoms are balanced. The resulting balanced equation is:
[tex]\[ 4 \text{ NaI} + \text{Pb}( \text{SO}_4 )_2 \rightarrow \text{PbI}_4 + 2 \text{ Na}_2 \text{SO}_4 \][/tex]
This reaction is classified as a double displacement reaction, where the ions of two compounds exchange places to form two new compounds.
