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$2 NaOH+H_2 SO_4 \rightarrow Na_2 SO_4+H_2 O$



The equation is [blank] because the number of hydrogen atoms and [blank] atoms is [blank] in the reactants and in the products.

Verified Answer :

  • The equation \(2NaOH + H_2SO_4 \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 + H_2O\) is analyzed by counting the atoms of each element on both sides.
  • The reactant side contains 2 Na, 6 O, 4 H, and 1 S, while the product side contains 2 Na, 5 O, 2 H, and 1 S.
  • Because the counts for oxygen and hydrogen do not match, the equation is unbalanced.
  • The blanks should be filled as: The equation is unbalanced because the number of hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms is not equal in the reactants and in the products.

Explanation

  1. Counting Atoms in the Equation

To determine if the chemical equation \(2NaOH + H_2SO_4 \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 + H_2O\) is balanced, we must compare the number of each type of atom on the reactant side with the number on the product side.

Reactants:

  • Sodium (Na): 2
  • Oxygen (O): \(2 \times 1\) (from NaOH) + 4 (from \(H_2SO_4\)) = 6
  • Hydrogen (H): \(2 \times 1\) (from NaOH) + 2 (from \(H_2SO_4\)) = 4
  • Sulfur (S): 1

Products:

  • Sodium (Na): 2
  • Oxygen (O): 4 (from \(Na_2SO_4\)) + 1 (from \(H_2O\)) = 5
  • Hydrogen (H): 2 (from \(H_2O\))
  • Sulfur (S): 1

Comparing these counts, we see that the number of atoms for sodium (2 on both sides) and sulfur (1 on both sides) are equal, but the number of atoms for oxygen (6 vs 5) and hydrogen (4 vs 2) are not equal. Therefore, the equation is not balanced.

  1. Filling in the Blanks

Since the number of atoms for some elements does not match on both sides, the equation is unbalanced. Specifically, the counts for hydrogen and oxygen are different between the reactants and the products. Following the provided options:

  • The first blank is "unbalanced".
  • The second blank is "oxygen" (because hydrogen and oxygen atoms differ).
  • The third blank is "not equal" (because the atom counts for these elements are not the same).

Examples

Chemical equations are the recipes of the chemistry world, telling us exactly how much of each substance we need to combine to create a new product. Balancing them is crucial for everything from manufacturing medicine to understanding how your car engine burns fuel, ensuring that matter is conserved according to the Law of Conservation of Mass. By accurately counting atoms, you can ensure your reaction is set up perfectly for the desired outcome, just like balancing a bank account to make sure every penny is accounted for!