CHEM 107 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Lithium Hydroxide, Chemical Equation
Document Summary
To balance a chemical equation: if possible, begin with the most complex substance. Usually this means that atoms appear in one compound on the left and one on the right: balance hydrogens, if a substance in the equation occurs as a free element, balance this last. Try to avoid balancing atoms that appear in several different substances until later in the process. Fractions are (kind of) okay but small whole numbers are preferable. Step 1: write out formulas for reactants and products on the correct sides of the arrow. Step 2: count atoms on each side of the arrow to see if the equation is balanced. Step 3: balance the equation by adding/adjusting coefficients. Never change subscripts or add different atoms or molecules. Step 4: double check balanced equation by counting atoms again. Problem: when lithium hydroxide pellets are added to a solution of sulfuric acid, lithium sulfate and water are formed.
