Question

When balancing a chemical equation, can you adjust the number that is subscripted to a substance formula?

Answer 1

`"Usually no, in that the subscripts relate to a particular formula......"`

Explanation:

Consider the combustion of alkanes, methane for a start:

`CH_4(g) + 2O_2(g) rarr CO_2(g) + 2H_2O(g)`

The stoichiometric coefficients (from the left the `1`, the `2`, the `1`, the `2`) MAY BE adjusted, i.e. simply by using say `32*g` of methane; of course the mass of dioxygen must be increased proportionately.

The subscripts, that which represents the number of atoms in a molecule, are FIXED, because these represent actual molecules, actual chemical species.