The chemical equation
illustrates the decomposition of potassium chlorate into potassium chloride and oxygen gas, a reaction commonly used for oxygen production, while adhering to the principle of mass conservation.
In the chemical equation
, the reactant is potassium chlorate
. This compound decomposes upon heating to form potassium chloride KCl and oxygen gas
.
The arrow in the equation indicates the direction of the reaction, proceeding from left to right. The coefficients preceding each chemical formula represent the stoichiometric coefficients, indicating the mole ratios between reactants and products.
Potassium chlorate
serves as the source of both potassium ions
and chlorate ions
. During the decomposition reaction, it breaks down into potassium chloride KCl and oxygen gas
.
This process is often employed in laboratories and industrial settings to generate oxygen gas. The balanced equation ensures that the number of atoms of each element remains the same on both sides, maintaining the law of conservation of mass.
Complete question:
What is the reactant(s) in the following equation?
.