Question

Balance the following equation by adding the correct coefficients if needed

Answer 1

Explanation:

  MgF + Li + CO → MgCO + LiF

 Properly writing gives:

         Mg²⁺ + F⁻   + Li  + CO     →     Mg²⁺ + CO  + Li⁺ + F⁻

                     MgF₂ + Li + CO    →  Mg(CO)₂ + LiF

The above is the properly written unbalanced reaction equation.

1. Chemical equations are balanced so that they will comply to the law of conservation of matter. The law states that "matter is neither created nor destroyed in the course of a chemical reaction but simply transformed from one form to another. ".

Since chemical reactions simply exemplify a system in which matter is being transformed by the breaking and recombination of atoms, they obey the law of conservation of matter and the matter must be balanced in the right proportions.

2. Steps involved in balancing the equation:

                     MgF₂ + Li + CO    →  Mg(CO)₂ + LiF

•  Check first to see if the equation is balanced. The above equation does not have equal number of atoms on both sides of the equation so it is not balanced.

                 

•   let the balanced equation be:

     aMgF₂ + bLi + cCO    →  dMg(CO)₂ + eLiF

where a, b, c, d and e are coefficients required to achieve the conservation of the atoms involved in the reaction.

•          Conserving Mg:    a = d

                                        F       2a = e

                                        Li       b = e

                                        C        c = 2d

                                        O        c = 2d

  if a = 1;

     e = 2

    b =2

    c = 2

    d = 1

Multiplying through by 2 gives:

   a = 1, e = 2, b = 2, c = 2 and d= 1

                    MgF₂ + 2Li + 2CO    →  Mg(CO)₂ + 2LiF

Learn more:

Balancing equation brainly.com/question/5817505

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