Final answer:
In the chemical equation 2 KOH + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + H2O, potassium and sulfur are balanced, but hydrogen and oxygen are not. The balanced equation is 2 KOH + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + 2 H2O, which balances all elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the provided partially balanced chemical equation 2 KOH + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + H2O, the elements potassium (K) and sulfur (S) are balanced, with potassium appearing twice on both sides of the equation and sulfur appearing once on both sides. However, the elements hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are unbalanced. On the reactants side, there are 2 hydrogen atoms within the two KOH molecules and an additional 2 within the H2SO4 molecule, totaling 4 hydrogen atoms. On the products side, there is only 1 water molecule, contributing just 2 hydrogen atoms, which is unbalanced. For oxygen, we have 2 oxygen atoms within two KOH molecules and 4 within the H2SO4 molecule, totaling 6 oxygen atoms on the reactants side. On the products side, we have 4 oxygen atoms within K2SO4 and one in H2O, totaling 5 oxygen atoms, which is also unbalanced.
To correct this, we need to balance the hydrogen and oxygen atoms so the number of atoms for each element is equal on both sides of the equation. The balanced equation will be 2 KOH + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + 2 H2O. Now, we have 2 potassium, 1 sulfur, 4 hydrogen, and 6 oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation, thus obeying the law of conservation of mass.