Question

Fill in the missing chemicals and coefficients to balance the chemical equation: KCIO3 → KCl + O2

a) 2 KCIO3 → 2 KCl + 3 O2
b) KCIO3 → KCl + 2 O2
c) 2 KCIO3 → KCl + 2 O2
d) KCIO3 → 2 KCl + O2

Answer 1

The answer is a) 2 KCIO3 → 2 KCl + 3 O2, which correctly balances the given chemical decomposition reaction of potassium chlorate.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to fill in the missing chemicals and coefficients to balance the chemical equation KCIO3 → KCl + O2 is option a) 2 KCIO3 → 2 KCl + 3 O2. This balance ensures that there are an equal number of each type of atom on both the reactant and product sides of the equation.

For balancing chemical equations, it's important to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides, confirming the law of conservation of mass. In this case, 2 molecules of potassium chlorate (KCIO3) decompose into 2 molecules of potassium chloride (KCl) and 3 molecules of diatomic oxygen (O2).