Question

Hydrogen peroxide spontaneously decomposes to yield water and oxygen. Balance this reaction.

Options:
a) 2, 2, 1
b) 2, 2, 2
c) 1, 1, 1
d) 1, 2, 1

Answer 1

The balanced decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is 2 H₂O₂ (aq) → 2 H₂O (l) + O₂ (g), corresponding to option a) 2, 2, 1, which reflects the coefficients for hydrogen peroxide, water, and oxygen, respectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) yields water (H₂O) and oxygen (O₂). To balance the reaction, one must ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the reactants and the products side of the equation. The balanced reaction is:

2 H₂O₂ (aq) → 2 H₂O (l) + O₂ (g)

After balancing, there are four hydrogen atoms and four oxygen atoms on both sides. Therefore, the coefficients that balance this reaction correspond to option a) 2, 2, 1.