Question

In two or more complete sentences explain how to balance the chemical equation, KClO3 ⟶ KCl + O2 and include all steps.

Answer 1

Answer:

2KClO3 -----> 2KCl + 3O2

Explanation:

A chemical equation comprises of the substances reacting called REACTANTS and the substances produced called PRODUCTS. In order to obey the law of conservation of mass, the number of atoms of the reactants must be equal to the number of atoms of the products. The reaction is said to be balanced when this occurs.

We have the below chemical equation:

KClO3 -----> KCl + O2

The equation is not balanced because the number of atoms of some element on the reactant side is not the same as the number of atoms of some element on the product side.

K=1 K= 1

Cl= 1 Cl=1

O= 3 O=2

To make oxygen atom have the same number on both sides, we make use of coefficients (a number placed in front of the chemical formula).

To make Oxygen atom have equal number on both sides, we add coefficient 2 to KClO3 on the reactant side, and coefficient 3 to O2 on the product side. We have:

2KClO3 ----> KCl + 3O2

Now that oxygen atom is balanced (6 atoms on either sides), it has changed the number of atoms of K and Cl on both sides. K and Cl now have 2 number of atoms on the reactant side compared to 1 each on the product side.

To balance K and Cl on both sides, we add coefficient 2 to KCl on the product side.

2KClO3 ----> 2KCl + 3O2

We now have equal number of atoms for each element on both sides i.e. 2 each for K, 2 each for Cl, and 6 each for O.

The equation is now balanced.

Answer 2

First of all you have to make both sides of the equation equal

KClO3 -------- KCL + O2

this is the way i would do it first

K - 1                K - 1
Cl - 1               Cl - 1
O - 3                O-2   From this we can see that the oxygen of both don't equal

So than from this we would need to find the common factor of the oxygen which is 6. So we would multiply 3 by 2 to get 6 as well as 2 by 3 to get 6.
The equation will now look like
K - 1                         K - 1
Cl - 1                        Cl - 1
O - 3 (2) = 6             O - 2 (3) = 6

so the final answere:

KCl2O3 --------- KCl + 3O2