Final answer:
Balancing chemical equations ensures the same number of atoms for each element on both sides, such as balancing CO₂ + NaOH to form Na₂CO₃ + H₂O by adjusting coefficients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is about balancing a chemical equation, which is a fundamental concept in chemistry. Although the provided molecular equation with sodium dichromate (Na₂Cr₂O₇) and trifluoromethane (COF₃) appears to be incomplete and cannot be balanced as is, the concept of balancing chemical equations involves ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
For example, the equation CO₂ (aq) + NaOH(aq) → Na₂CO₃(aq) + H₂O(l) is initially unbalanced. To balance it, the coefficient for NaOH is changed to 2, resulting in 2NaOH(aq) + CO₂ (aq) → Na₂CO₃(aq) + H₂O(l). This simple adjustment achieves a balance of atoms for each element across the equation, ensuring the law of conservation of mass is upheld.