Question

How do you balance the following solution Zn(s)+HCI(aq)—>ZnCI2 (aq) + H2(g)

Answer 1

Answer: The atoms of every element on both the sides of the reaction must be same.

Explanation:

We are given a chemical equation and we need to balance it. Every equation follows Law of Conservation of mass.

This law states that in a chemical reaction, the number of atoms of each element must be same on both the sides of the equation.

For the given chemical equation:

$Zn(s)+HCl(aq)\rightarrow ZnCl_2(aq)+H_2(g)$

On reactant side:

Number of zinc atoms = 1

Number of hydrogen atoms = 1

Number of chlorine atoms = 1

On product side:

Number of zinc atoms = 1

Number of hydrogen atoms = 2

Number of chlorine atoms = 2

As, the number of hydrogen and chlorine atoms on reactant and product side is not same, so we need to add a stoichiometric coefficient in-front of HCl on the reactant side. The balanced chemical equation becomes:

$Zn(s)+2HCl(aq)\rightarrow ZnCl_2(aq)+H_2(g)$