How do you balance #HBr + O_2 -> Br_2 + H_2O#?
2 Answers
Explanation:
Add molecules (balancing numbers in front) to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on the left and right hand sides of the equation.
Explanation:
This equation is one of those where you need to balance O at the very beginning.
Otherwise as a thumb-rule one leaves H and O to taken up at the last.
Observe that in the unbalanced equation, on the reactants side there are 2 atoms of oxygen, whereas there is single oxygen atom on the products side.
Therefore to balance O on both sides, we need to put 2 in front of water molecule. This fixes 4 hydrogen atoms on the right side of the equation.
To balance 4H atoms in the products, we need 4 molecules HBr on the reactants side.
Now we are left with balancing of bromine atoms. Clearly to balance 4 Br atoms on the reactants side, we need to put 2 in front of
