To balance the chemical equation
you need to ensure that there is the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the arrow. The balanced equation is:
![\[H₂ + Cl₂ \rightarrow 2HCl\]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/chemistry/college/qm4bxs24eom77p96lx2ka4nyl1kp3zb1fa.png)
Now, let's address the questions:
1. How many hydrogen atoms are on the left side of the equation?
- There are 2 hydrogen atoms on the left side (\(H₂\)).
2. How many chlorine atoms are on the right side of the equation?
- There are 2 chlorine atoms on the right side (\(2HCl\)).
The balanced chemical equation \(H₂ + Cl₂ \rightarrow 2HCl\) represents the reaction between molecular hydrogen (\(H₂\)) and molecular chlorine (\(Cl₂\)), resulting in the formation of two molecules of hydrogen chloride (\(2HCl\)). Balancing the equation is crucial to uphold the law of conservation of mass, ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the reaction arrow.
In this balanced equation, two hydrogen molecules (\(H₂\)) react with one chlorine molecule (\(Cl₂\)), yielding two molecules of hydrogen chloride (\(2HCl\)). The coefficients in front of each chemical formula indicate the stoichiometric ratio, representing the relative amounts of each reactant and product involved in the reaction.
1. On the left side of the equation, there are 2 hydrogen atoms, signifying the presence of a diatomic hydrogen molecule (\(H₂\)).
2. On the right side of the equation, there are 2 chlorine atoms, derived from the two molecules of hydrogen chloride (\(2HCl\)).
This balanced equation and the corresponding atom counts fulfill the principle of mass conservation, illustrating that atoms are neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction.