Question

Balance the following skeletal equations.

${\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+{\mathrm{H}}_2\to \mathrm{Fe}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$

Answer 1

Balanced chemical equation -

• A chemical equation is said to be balanced if the number of atoms of each element on the left-hand side is equal to the number of atoms present on the right-hand side.
• In order to balance a chemical equation, it is required to know what are reactants that are taking part in a chemical reaction and what are products will be formed.

Balancing a chemical equation - Using Hit by trial method
${\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+{\mathrm{H}}_2\to \mathrm{Fe}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$

Elements	Number of atoms on reactant side	Number of atoms on product side
Fe	2	1
O	3	1
H	2	2

1. To balance Fe, put coefficient 2 on the right-hand side to Fe. ${\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+{\mathrm{H}}_2\to 2\mathrm{Fe}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$
2. Now, to balance O, put coefficient 3 on the right-hand side to H₂O. ${\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+{\mathrm{H}}_2\to 2\mathrm{Fe}+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$
3. Now, to balance H, put coefficient 3 on the left-hand side to H₂. ${\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\to 2\mathrm{Fe}+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$
4. Hence, the balanced chemical equation is ${\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\to 2\mathrm{Fe}+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$