Use the unbalanced chemical equation to answer the question.
2NaHCO3 - Na2CO3 + CO2
Which of the following can be added to the products to balance the equation?
(1 point)
O H2
O CH2OH
O 02
O H2O
The following can be added to the products to balance the equation:
H2O
To balance the unbalanced chemical equation 2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2, we need to make sure that there is an equal number of atoms on both sides of the equation.
In this case, we can see that there are 2 sodium (Na) atoms on the left side but only 1 on the right side. To balance the sodium atoms, we can add another sodium atom to the right side by including Na2CO3.
However, to balance the other elements, we need to add the correct coefficients in front of the compounds. The balanced equation will look like this:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
From the given options, the only substance that can be added to the products to balance the equation is H2O (water). Adding water will balance the number of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms on both sides of the equation.
To balance a chemical equation, you need to ensure that there is an equal number of atoms on both sides of the equation. In this case, the unbalanced equation is:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2
To balance it, you need to determine which molecule among the given options can be added to the products side of the equation or the reactant side of the equation to achieve a balanced equation.
Looking at the options: O (oxygen), H2 (hydrogen gas), CH2OH (methanol), and O2 (oxygen gas), we can analyze each option:
1. Oxygen (O): There are already oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation, so adding additional oxygen atoms would not balance the equation.
2. Hydrogen gas (H2): There are no hydrogen atoms on either side of the equation, so adding hydrogen gas would not balance the equation.
3. Methanol (CH2OH): Methanol does not contain any elements that are missing from the equation, so adding methanol would not balance the equation.
4. Oxygen gas (O2): There are oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation, but adding oxygen gas could be a possible solution.
Applying stoichiometry, we can balance the equation by adding a coefficient of 2 in front of Na2CO3:
2NaHCO3 → 2Na2CO3 + CO2
By adding 2 moles of Na2CO3 on the products side, we will have an equal number of sodium, carbon, and oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation, resulting in a balanced equation.
Therefore, the correct answer is O2 (oxygen gas), as it can be added to the products to balance the equation.