Hydrofluoric acid is used to etch grooves in glass because it reacts with the silica (sio2(s)) in glass. the products of the rea
ctions are aqueous silicon tetrafluoride and water. what is the coefficient of silica in the balanced equation for the reaction? (balance the equation with the smallest possible whole number coefficients.)
Answer is: coefficient is one. Chemical reaction: SiO₂ + 4HF → SiF₄ + 2H₂O. Reaction is balanced when there are equal numbers of elements in both side of the chemical reaction. HF - hydrofluoric acid, <span>highly corrosive, dissolves many materials.</span> SiF₄ - silicon tetrafluoride.
