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What is the balanced chemical equation for the decomposition reaction of barium chlorate?


A$Ba \left( ClO _3\right)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl _2(s)+ O _2(g)$
B$Ba \left( ClO _3\right)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl _2(s)+3 O _2(g)$
C$2 Ba \left( ClO _3\right)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl (s)+6 O _2(g)$
D$Ba ( ClO )_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl _2(s)+ O _2(g)$

Verified Answer :

  • Identify the components of the reaction: Barium chlorate (\(Ba(ClO_3)_2\)) decomposes into Barium chloride (\(BaCl_2\)) and Oxygen gas (\(O_2\)).
  • Count the atoms on the reactant side: 1 Barium, 2 Chlorine, 6 Oxygen.
  • Check each provided equation to ensure the atom count is equal on both sides of the reaction.
  • Conclude that the balanced equation is \(\boxed{Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + 3O_2(g)}\).

Explanation

  1. Analyzing the Reaction and Identifying Components

The thermal decomposition of barium chlorate, \(Ba(ClO_3)_2(s)\), is a chemical reaction that results in the formation of barium chloride, \(BaCl_2(s)\), and oxygen gas, \(O_2(g)\). To determine the correctly balanced equation, we must ensure that the number of atoms for each element is identical on both sides of the equation.

First, let's identify the reactants and products:

  • Reactant: Barium chlorate, which has the chemical formula \(Ba(ClO_3)_2(s)\).
  • Products: Barium chloride, \(BaCl_2(s)\), and oxygen gas, \(O_2(g)\).

Now, let's write the skeletal equation:
\(Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + O_2(g)\)

  1. Evaluating the Options and Balancing the Equation

Next, we count the number of atoms for each element on the reactant side:

  • Barium (Ba): 1 atom
  • Chlorine (Cl): \(2 \times 1 = 2\) atoms
  • Oxygen (O): \(2 \times 3 = 6\) atoms

Now, let's evaluate the given options by counting the atoms on the product side:

Option 1: \(Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + O_2(g)\)

  • Barium: 1
  • Chlorine: 2
  • Oxygen: 2

(Not balanced, as there are 6 oxygens on the left and 2 on the right.)

Option 2: \(Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + 3O_2(g)\)

  • Barium: 1
  • Chlorine: 2
  • Oxygen: \(3 \times 2 = 6\)

(This equation is balanced: 1 Ba, 2 Cl, and 6 O on both sides.)

Option 3: \(2Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + 6O_2(g)\)

  • Barium: Left=2, Right=1 (Not balanced)

Option 4: \(Ba(ClO)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + O_2(g)\)

  • This option uses the incorrect chemical formula for barium chlorate (it represents barium hypochlorite).
  1. Conclusion

By comparing the counts, we see that Option 2 is the only equation where the number of atoms for every element matches on both sides. Thus, the balanced equation for the thermal decomposition of barium chlorate is \(Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + 3O_2(g)\). The final answer is \(\boxed{Ba(ClO_3)_2(s) \rightarrow BaCl_2(s) + 3O_2(g)}\).

Examples

In a chemistry laboratory, understanding how to balance chemical equations is essential for predicting the amounts of products that can be formed from a given amount of reactants. For example, when heating barium chlorate to produce oxygen gas, chemists use the balanced equation to calculate exactly how much oxygen will be released based on the mass of the chlorate used. This ensures accurate experimental results and safety protocols, as controlling gas production is vital in high-pressure or confined reactions.

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