The chemical equation in the image is not balanced.
Balancing a chemical equation is a crucial step in accurately representing a chemical reaction.
The provided example illustrates the unbalanced equation for the combustion of methane (CH₄) with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O):
CH 4 +O2 →CO2 +H2O
To balance the equation, you must ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the reactant and product sides.
Following the steps outlined below facilitates the balancing process:
Identify the elements: In this case, the elements are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O).
Count the atoms: Initially, there are 1 carbon atom, 4 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms on the left (reactant) side.
On the right (product) side, there is 1 carbon atom, 2 hydrogen atoms, and 3 oxygen atoms.
Adjust the coefficients: To balance the carbon atoms, a coefficient of 2 is added in front of CO₂:
CH4 +2O2 →2CO2 +H 2O
Now, re-evaluate the count. There are 1 carbon atom, 4 hydrogen atoms, and 4 oxygen atoms on both sides.
Balancing ensures the conservation of mass in a chemical reaction, adhering to the law of conservation of mass.
The balanced equation for the combustion of methane represents a stoichiometrically accurate depiction of the reactants and products involved in the chemical process.