Question

Write the balanced chemical equations for the below reaction and identify the type of reaction in the case: Magnesium ribbon is burnt in an atmosphere of nitrogen gas to form solid magnesium nitride.

Answer 1

Balancing chemical reaction:

• The process of balancing the stoichiometric values on the involved in the reaction and outputs sides of a chemical equation.
• This is required because the chemical equation follows the principles of mass and momentum conservation.

Reaction when magnesium ribbon is burnt in an atmosphere of nitrogen gas:

• Magnesium ribbon is burned in a nitrogen gas atmosphere to generate solid magnesium nitride.
• The interaction of magnesium with nitrogen is a combination reaction because the two reactants ($\mathrm{Mg}\mathrm{and}{\mathrm{N}}_2$) combine to generate a single product, magnesium nitride (${\mathrm{Mg}}_3{\mathrm{N}}_2$).
• The process is a combination reaction.

Step 1: Write the chemical representation of reaction

• $\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{Mg}}_3{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)$

Step 2:Now balance the number of magnesium atoms:

• $3\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{Mg}}_3{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)$
• Since the no. of atoms of all elements in both the product and reactant side is equal.

So the balanced equation is: $3\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{Mg}}_3{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)$

Combustion reaction :

• A mixed reaction is one in which two reactants are combined to generate one product.
• In this reaction, two reactants combine to generate a single component.
• A combination reaction can exist between different elements, two compounds, or between a chemical and an ingredient.

$\mathrm{Reactant}\mathrm{A}+\mathrm{Reactant}\mathrm{B}\to \mathrm{Product}\mathrm{C}$