Final answer:
The chemical equation H2O + O2 → 3O + H2 is unbalanced due to a discrepancy in the number of oxygen atoms on each side of the equation. A balanced equation would have equal numbers of each type of atom, such as in the equation 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O, where there are 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on both sides.
Step-by-step explanation:
The given chemical equation H2O + O2 → 3O + H2 is unbalanced. To determine if a chemical equation is balanced, you must compare the number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. In this case, there is 1 molecule of water (H2O) reacting with 1 molecule of oxygen (O2) to produce 3 atoms of oxygen (O) and 1 molecule of hydrogen gas (H2).
Let's compare the number of H and O atoms on both sides:
- On the left, we have 2 H atoms (from H2O) and 2 O atoms (from O2).
- On the right, we have 2 H atoms (from H2) and 3 O atoms.
The number of oxygen atoms does not match on either side, indicating that the equation is unbalanced. A balanced chemical equation ensures the same number of each type of atom on both sides, adhering to the Law of Conservation of Mass.
A proper balanced equation for the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water would be 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O, which respects the conservation of atoms: 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms are present on both sides of the equation.