Question

How would you balance Na(s) + Cl2 → NaCl(s)?

Answer 1

The balanced equation is `"2Na(s)"+"Cl"_2("g")"` `rarr` `"2NaCl(s)"`.

Explanation:

How to Balance the Equation `"Na(s)"+"Cl"_2("g")"` `rarr` `"NaCl"`.

Since there are two chlorine atoms on the left side, there needs to be two chlorine atoms on the right side. So I put a coefficient of two in front of the formula `"NaCl"`.

`"Na(s)"+"Cl"_2("g")"` `rarr` `"2NaCl"`

Now there are two sodium and two chlorine atoms on the right side. However, the left side has only one sodium atom. So I put a coefficient of two in front of the formula `"Na"`.

`"2Na(s)"+"Cl"_2("g")"` `rarr` `"2NaCl(s)"`

Now there are two sodium and two chlorine atoms on both sides of the equation and it is balanced.

Notice that I only changed the amount of each substance by changing the coefficients. I did not change the formulas.