Final answer:
To balance the equation CO2 + H2O -> C6H12O6 + O2, start with carbon atoms by adding a coefficient of 6 before CO2, then balance hydrogen by placing a coefficient of 6 before H2O. Finally, balance oxygen by adding a coefficient of 6 before O2, giving the balanced equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2.
Step-by-step explanation:
To balance the chemical equation CO2 + H2O -> C6H12O6 + O2, we need to ensure that the number of each type of atom on the reactants side is equal to the number on the products side. To achieve this, we would alter the coefficients in front of each chemical compound to balance the atoms.
Initially, we can start by balancing the carbon atoms since carbon appears only once in each the reactants and products. By placing a coefficient of 6 in front of CO2, we balance the carbon atoms:
C6H12O6 + O2 -> 6CO2 + H2O
The carbon atoms are now balanced, but we need to balance the hydrogen and oxygen atoms as well. In an attempt to balance the hydrogens, we would then place a 6 in front of H2O:
C6H12O6 + O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O
Now, we have both carbon and hydrogen atoms balanced.
Next, we should balance the oxygen atoms, by counting the number of oxygen atoms on both sides. We have 6 oxygen atoms in the glucose molecule, 12 additional oxygen atoms in the carbon dioxide molecules, and 6 more in the water molecules, making a total of 24 oxygen atoms on the product side. To balance the oxygen atoms, we would need 12 oxygen atoms from O2 molecules on the reactant side:
6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2
The final balanced chemical equation would be:
6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2