Final answer:
The equation for the reaction where sodium metal reacts with water vapor to produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas is balanced with the coefficients 2 Na(s) + 2 H₂O(g) → 2 NaOH(s) + H₂(g) to ensure conservation of mass and charge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the reaction where sodium metal reacts with water vapor to form solid sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. To address this question, we need to provide the word equation, the skeleton equation, and the balanced chemical equation for the reaction.
Word Equation
Sodium metal + water vapor → sodium hydroxide + hydrogen gas
Skeleton Equation
Na(s) + H₂O(g) → NaOH(s) + H₂(g)
Balanced Chemical Equation
2 Na(s) + 2 H₂O(g) → 2 NaOH(s) + H₂(g)
The balanced chemical equation requires an even number of sodium and hydrogen atoms on both sides of the reaction, leading us to place coefficients to ensure both mass and charge are conserved.