Let's analyze and balance each of the equations provided to determine which one is correctly balanced.
Option A: [tex]\( \text{NaClO}_3 \rightarrow \text{NaCl} + 3 \text{O}_2 \)[/tex]
- Reactants: 1 Na, 1 Cl, 3 O
- Products: 1 Na, 1 Cl, 6 O
The oxygen atoms are not balanced here; we have 3 oxygen atoms on the reactant's side and 6 on the product's side. Hence, this equation is not balanced.
Option B: [tex]\( 2 \text{HgO} \rightarrow 2 \text{Hg} + \text{O}_2 \)[/tex]
- Reactants: 2 Hg, 2 O
- Products: 2 Hg, 2 O
Here the number of Hg and O atoms are equal on both sides. Therefore, this equation is balanced.
Option C: [tex]\( 2 \text{ZnS} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \text{ZnO} + 2 \text{SO}_2 \)[/tex]
- Reactants: 2 Zn, 2 S, 2 O
- Products: 2 Zn, 2 S, 6 O
The oxygen atoms are not balanced here; we have 2 oxygen atoms on the reactant’s side and 6 on the product’s side. This equation is not balanced.
Option D: [tex]\( 4 \text{CO} + \text{Fe}_3 \text{O}_4 \rightarrow 4 \text{CO}_2 + \text{Fe} \)[/tex]
- Reactants: 4 C, 4 O (in CO) + 3 Fe, 4 O (in [tex]\( \text{Fe}_3 \text{O}_4 \)[/tex])
- Total reactants: 4 C, 8 O, 3 Fe
- Products: 4 C (in [tex]\( \text{CO}_2 \)[/tex]), 8 O (in [tex]\( \text{CO}_2 \)[/tex]), Fe
The iron atoms are not balanced here; we have 3 iron atoms on the reactant's side and only 1 on the product’s side. This equation is not balanced.
Option E: [tex]\( 2 \text{Fe} + 2 \text{Cl}_2 \rightarrow 2 \text{FeCl}_3 \)[/tex]
- Reactants: 2 Fe, 4 Cl
- Products: 2 Fe, 6 Cl
The chlorine atoms are not balanced here; we have 4 chlorine atoms on the reactant’s side and 6 on the product’s side. This equation is not balanced.
After analyzing each choice, we find that only:
Option B: [tex]\( 2 \text{HgO} \rightarrow 2 \text{Hg} + \text{O}_2 \)[/tex]
is correctly balanced.
So, the correct answer is:
B. [tex]\( 2 \text{HgO} \rightarrow 2 \text{Hg} + \text{O}_2 \)[/tex]
