Final answer:
To balance the equation NO + O2 → NO2, the correct coefficients are 2 for NO, 1 for O2, and 2 for NO2, resulting in the balanced equation: 2NO(g) + O2(g) → 2NO2(g).
Step-by-step explanation:
The student needs to balance the chemical equation involving the reaction of nitric oxide (NO) with oxygen (O2) to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The balanced equation is: 2NO(g) + O2(g) → 2NO2(g). Here, the coefficients x, y, and z are 2, 1, and 2 respectively to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
It's important to approach the balancing of chemical equations methodically, often balancing one element at a time and saving elements like oxygen and hydrogen for last, especially when they appear in multiple compounds in the equation. In this particular equation, nitrogen was already balanced, with one nitrogen atom on each side. By changing the coefficient of O2 to 1, we ensure we have a total of two oxygen atoms on each side to correspond with the two NO2 molecules formed.