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)
Responses
CH2OH
CH 2 OH
O2
O 2
H2
H 2
H2O
H2O
To balance the given chemical equation, we need to make sure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
Looking at the products, we can see that there are 2 sodium (Na) atoms on the left side (2NaHCO3) but only 1 on the right side (Na2CO3). Therefore, we need to add a compound that contains sodium and can provide an additional Na atom.
Out of the given options, only Na2CO3 already contains sodium so it cannot be added to balance the equation.
Therefore, the correct choice is H2O. By adding H2O to the products, we can balance the equation as follows:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
Now, the number of sodium atoms is balanced with 2Na on both sides of the equation.
To balance the given chemical equation, you need to make sure that there is an equal number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. Let's analyze the equation:
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2
On the left side, we have 2 sodium (Na) atoms, 2 hydrogen (H) atoms, 2 carbon (C) atoms, and 6 oxygen (O) atoms.
On the right side, we have 2 sodium (Na) atoms, 1 carbon (C) atom, and 3 oxygen (O) atoms.
To balance the equation, we need to add the appropriate coefficients to the molecules or elements on the right side. Let's go through the given options and see which one can help us balance the equation:
1. CH2OH or CH 2 OH: This compound contains carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms. However, it does not contain sodium (Na) or carbon dioxide (CO2), which are present in the products. Adding this compound will not help balance the equation.
2. O2 or O 2: Oxygen (O) molecules could potentially help balance the equation. The right side is lacking 3 oxygen atoms, so we would need to add 3 molecules of O2 to supply the needed oxygen atoms.
3. H2 or H 2: Hydrogen (H) molecules will not help balance the equation since there are already sufficient hydrogen atoms on both sides.
4. H2O: Water (H2O) contains hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms. Since there is already enough hydrogen, adding water would only supply oxygen atoms. The right side of the equation lacks 3 oxygen atoms, so we would need to add 3 molecules of H2O to balance the equation.
Therefore, from the given options, the correct answer to balance the equation is H2O.