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)
A. H2
B. CH2OH
C. H2O
D. O2
C. H2O
To balance the chemical equation 2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2, we need to have an equal number of atoms on both sides of the equation.
Looking at the equation, we can see that we have an unequal number of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms on both sides.
On the left side, we have two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms (2 in NaHCO3).
On the right side, we have one carbon atom (in Na2CO3) and only one oxygen atom.
To balance the equation, we need to have the same number of carbon and hydrogen atoms on both sides. The only option from the provided list that contains hydrogen is H2O (water).
By adding water (H2O) as a reactant, the balanced equation becomes:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
Now both sides of the equation have two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms, balancing the equation. Therefore, the correct answer is C. H2O.
To balance the given chemical equation, we need to ensure that there is an equal number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.
Looking at the unbalanced equation:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2
Let's analyze each element individually:
1. Sodium (Na): There are 2 sodium atoms on the left side (2NaHCO3) and 2 sodium atoms on the right side (Na2CO3). Sodium is already balanced.
2. Hydrogen (H): There are 4 hydrogen atoms on the left side (2NaHCO3) and 2 hydrogen atoms on the right side (Na2CO3). Hydrogen is unbalanced.
3. Carbon (C): There is 1 carbon atom on the left side (2NaHCO3) and 1 carbon atom on the right side (Na2CO3). Carbon is already balanced.
4. Oxygen (O): There are 8 oxygen atoms on the left side (2NaHCO3) and 4 oxygen atoms on the right side (Na2CO3 + CO2). Oxygen is unbalanced.
Since only hydrogen and oxygen need balancing, let's analyze the choices provided:
A. H2: This implies adding hydrogen gas (H2) to the reaction. Since hydrogen is already present in the original equation (in NaHCO3), adding H2 would unbalance the equation further.
B. CH2OH: This represents methanol compound. Adding methanol to the reaction would introduce carbon and oxygen atoms, while we are trying to balance only hydrogen and oxygen.
C. H2O: This represents water. Adding water to the products side will introduce hydrogen (2H) and oxygen (1O) atoms. It can help balance hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) in the reaction.
D. O2: This represents oxygen gas. Adding oxygen to the reaction will introduce additional oxygen atoms to help balance the oxygen (O) atoms.
After analyzing the options, the correct choice to balance the equation is C. H2O. By adding water to the products side, the equation becomes:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
This balanced equation ensures that there are an equal number of atoms on both sides of the equation for each element.