Answer:
2Na + 2H₂O ⟶ 2NaOH + H₂
Step-by-step explanation:
<em>Step 1.</em> Pick the most complicated-looking formula (NaOH).
Put a 1 in front of it.
Na + H₂O ⟶ 1NaOH + H₂
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<em>Step 2</em>: Balance Na.
We have fixed 1 Na on the right. We need 1 Na on the left.
Put a 1 in front of Na.
1Na + H₂O ⟶ 1NaOH + H₂
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<em>Step 3</em>. Balance O.
We have fixed 1 O on the right. We need 1 O on the left.
Put a 1 in front of H₂O.
1Na + 1H₂O ⟶ 1NaOH + H₂
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<em>Step 4.</em> Balance H.
We have fixed 2 H on the left and 1 H on the right.
We have 2 H on the left and 3 H on the right. We need one more H (½ H₂) on the left.
Oops! Fractional coefficients! We must multiply all coefficients by a number to give integer coefficients.
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<em>Step 5</em>. Get rid of fractions.
Multiply all coefficients by2.
2Na + 2H₂O ⟶ 2NaOH + H₂
We have fixed 4 H on the left and 2H on the right, but we have another 2 H in the H₂.
H is balanced.
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<em>Step 6</em>. Write the balanced equation.
2Na + 2H₂O ⟶ 2NaOH + H₂
