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4Na + O2 --> 2Na20
If 4 moles of Na react completely, how many moles of Na2O form?

User JD Long
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2 Answers

3 votes

Answer:

Rebecca, as I used to tell my chemistry students, the key to ANY stoichiometry problem is to first write the balanced equation. Even if you think you can solve the problem in your head. In your question, you know your two reactants and you know your product. Your question itself provides the unbalanced equation:

H2 + O2 → H2O

But the oxygen atoms come in packages of two. Currently the there are two oxygen atoms on the left and only one on the right. Let’s fix that:

H2 + O2 → 2 H2O

So we have the same number of oxygen atoms left and right, but now there are not enough hydrogen atoms on the left. Let’s fix that as well:

2 H2 + O2 → 2 H2O

Our equation is balanced! As sometimes happens, the answer to the question is staring us in the face. Two hydrogen molecules would give us two molecules of water. Two dozen hydrogen molecules would give us two dozen molecules of water. A mole is a number like a dozen only much bigger. Two moles of hydrogen molecules will give us two moles of water molecules.

Step-by-step explanation:

hope this helps

User Franzo
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2 votes
2 moles of Na2O are produced.

4 moles of Na react with 1 mole of O.
User Efdee
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