Aqueous solutions of hydrobromic acid and strontium hydroxide are mixed together. Balance the molecular equation. What is the sum of the coefficients?

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01-11-2026
Chemistry

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Aqueous solutions of hydrobromic acid and strontium hydroxide are mixed together. Balance the molecular equation. What is the sum of the coefficients?

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GinnyAnswer GinnyAnswer · Answer 1 · 2026-11-01T20:35:18-05:00

Identify the reactants (\(HBr\), \(Sr(OH)_2\)) and products (\(SrBr_2\), \(H_2O\)) of the neutralization reaction.
Set up the unbalanced equation: \(HBr + Sr(OH)_2 \rightarrow SrBr_2 + H_2O\).
Balance the atoms to find the coefficients: \(2HBr + 1Sr(OH)_2 \rightarrow 1SrBr_2 + 2H_2O\).
Calculate the sum of the coefficients: \(2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 6\), yielding a final answer of \(\boxed{6}\).

Explanation

Understanding the Problem and Identifying Reactants/Products

We have a chemical reaction between aqueous hydrobromic acid (\(HBr\)) and aqueous strontium hydroxide (\(Sr(OH)_2\)). This is a neutralization reaction where an acid reacts with a base to form a salt and water. The products are strontium bromide (\(SrBr_2\)) and water (\(H_2O\)). The unbalanced molecular equation is:
\[HBr(aq) + Sr(OH)_2(aq) \rightarrow SrBr_2(aq) + H_2O(l)\]
Our goal is to balance this equation and find the sum of its stoichiometric coefficients.

Balancing the Equation

To balance the equation, we ensure the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides.

Start with Strontium (Sr): There is 1 Sr atom on both sides. The coefficient for \(Sr(OH)_2\) and \(SrBr_2\) is 1.
Next, balance Bromine (Br): There are 2 Br atoms on the right side (in \(SrBr_2\)), so we must have 2 HBr on the left side.
Now the equation looks like this: \(2HBr(aq) + 1Sr(OH)_2(aq) \rightarrow 1SrBr_2(aq) + H_2O(l)\).
Balance Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O): On the left, we have 2 H from \(HBr\) and 2 H from \(Sr(OH)_2\), total of 4 H atoms. On the left, we have 2 O atoms from \(Sr(OH)_2\). To balance this on the right, we need 2 \(H_2O\).
The balanced equation is: \(2HBr(aq) + 1Sr(OH)_2(aq) \rightarrow 1SrBr_2(aq) + 2H_2O(l)\).

Checking:

H: \(2(1) + 2(1) = 4\) on the left, \(2(2) = 4\) on the right.
Br: \(2(1) = 2\) on the left, \(1(2) = 2\) on the right.
Sr: 1 on the left, 1 on the right.
O: 2 on the left, \(2(1) = 2\) on the right.

The equation is now balanced.

Calculating the Sum of Coefficients

The stoichiometric coefficients are 2, 1, 1, and 2. The sum of these coefficients is:
\[2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 6.\]
The sum of the coefficients in the balanced molecular equation is \(\boxed{6}\).

Examples

Understanding chemical balancing is essential in fields like pharmacology and environmental science. For instance, in a pharmaceutical lab, a chemist might need to neutralize chemical waste before disposal. By accurately calculating the stoichiometric coefficients, the chemist ensures that the correct amounts of reactants are added, minimizing waste and ensuring the neutralization reaction completes safely and effectively. This practice is foundational to stoichiometry in chemistry.