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margie30
Jul 10, 2010, 07:27 AM
NaC10 small 3 arrow pointing right NaC1 + 0 small 2

Unknown008
Jul 17, 2010, 09:45 PM
NaClO_3 \rightarrow NaCl + O_2

You see you have 3 oxygen on the left, and two on the right, while the rest is OK. You need more oxygen... most suitably 1 more on the right.

One trick, is to get 3 oxygen atoms on the right, from the O_2. You will find that if you put 1/2 in front of O_2, you get 3 oxygen atoms!

Now, let's put it like that:

NaClO_3 \rightarrow NaCl + \frac12 O_2

Now, all is right. If you don't like having fractions, just work it through using your basic math knowledge, that is, multiply throughout by 2, giving:

2NaClO_3 \rightarrow 2NaCl + O_2

Now, if you count them up again, the equation will be balanced :)