Question

The following chemical equation is not balanced: CO2 + H2 CH4 + H2O When this chemical equation is correctly balanced, what is the coefficient of the water molecule?

Answer 1

This is a reaction of combustion of methane

CH₄ + 2O₂ = CO₂ + 2H₂O  

k(H₂O)=2

Answer 2

Answer:

Coefficient of water = 2

Explanation:

A chemical reaction is said to be balanced when there are equal number of atoms/elements of one type on both the reactants and products side.

The given reaction is:

$CO_{2} + H_{2} \rightarrow CH_{4} + H_{2}O$

# Atoms in Reactants                                        # Atoms in Products

C = 1                                                                        C = 1

O = 2                                                                       O = 1

H = 2                                                                        H = 6

The equation is not balanced since the number of O and H atoms are 2 each on the reactants and 1 and 6 respectively on the products side. In order to balance it, multiply H2 by 4 and H2O by 2 to get:

$CO_{2} + 4H_{2} \rightarrow CH_{4} + 2H_{2}O$

Therefore, the coefficient of H2O = 2