Question

Write the Balanced Chemical Equation for the Action of Granulated Zinc With Sodium hydroxide. Name the Products Formed.

Answer 1

Balanced Chemical equation:

• A balanced chemical equation is an equation where the number of atoms on the reactant and the product side should be an equal number.
• The number of atoms on the reactant and product side should be equally balanced.

Reaction:

• When Zinc $\left(\mathrm{Zn}\right)$ reacts with Sodium Hydroxide$\left(\mathrm{NaOH}\right)$ it gives sodium zincate and liberates hydrogen gas.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{∆}{\to }{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{ZnO}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ \mathrm{sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}\mathrm{sodium}\mathrm{zincate} \end{gathered}$$

Elements	Reactant side	Product side
$\mathrm{Na}$	$1$	$2$
$\mathrm{O}$	$1$	$2$
$\mathrm{H}$	$1$	$2$
$\mathrm{Zn}$	$1$	$1$

• The number of sodium atoms in the reactant and product side is not equal, we have to balance it.
• By balancing the sodium, the whole equation is balanced,

$$\begin{gathered} 2\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{∆}{\to }{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{ZnO}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ \mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{zincate} \end{gathered}$$

Elements	Reactant side	Product side
$\mathrm{Na}$	$2$	$2$
$\mathrm{O}$	$2$	$2$
$\mathrm{H}$	$2$	$2$
$\mathrm{Zn}$	$1$	$1$

Hence the balanced equation is as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} 2\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{∆}{\to }{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{ZnO}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ \mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{zincate} \end{gathered}$$