To balance the chemical equation for HCN reacting with Ca(OH)2, write the reactants and products, ensuring the number of atoms for each element is balanced. Two HCN molecules react with one Ca(OH)2 molecule to form calcium cyanide and water, resulting in the balanced equation 2HCN(aq) + Ca(OH)2(aq) → Ca(CN)2(aq) + 2H2O(l).
To complete the balanced chemical equation for the reaction between hydrocyanic acid and calcium hydroxide, follow these steps:
Write the formula of the weak acid and the strong base in the reactants, and the salt and water in the products, writing (aq) to represent the aqueous state of all the strong electrolytes that dissolve in water.For hydrocyanic acid, HCN(aq) +
he reaction produces a salt and water.Balance the equation by ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation. As hydrocyanic acid provides only one proton (
) for neutralization, and calcium hydroxide has two hydroxide ions (
), we see that two HCN molecules are needed for each molecule of
.The salt is formed by the combination of the cations from the base (
) and the anions from the acid (
), resulting in calcium cyanide
). Make sure the charges are balanced to make the salt a neutral compound.The completed and balanced equation is
. Here, calcium cyanide and water are produced.