What is the coefficient of oxygen gas after balancing the following equation?
[tex]N_2(g) + O_2(g) \rightarrow N_2O_5(s)[/tex]
A. 4
B. 5
C. 2
D. 1
Answer (1)
Balance the nitrogen atoms: 4 N 2 ( g ) + O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s ) .
Balance the oxygen atoms: 4 N 2 ( g ) + 5 O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s ) .
The balanced equation is 4 N 2 ( g ) + 5 O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s ) .
The coefficient of oxygen gas is 5 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the unbalanced chemical equation: N 2 ( g ) + O 2 ( g ) → N 2 O 5 ( s ) Our goal is to find the coefficient of O 2 ( g ) after balancing the equation.
Balancing Nitrogen Atoms To balance the equation, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Let's start by balancing the nitrogen atoms. There are 2 nitrogen atoms on the left side and 2 nitrogen atoms in N 2 O 5 on the right side. To balance the nitrogen atoms, we can start by placing a coefficient of 2 in front of N 2 O 5 :
N 2 ( g ) + O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s ) Now there are 4 nitrogen atoms on the right side, so we place a coefficient of 4 in front of N 2 on the left side: 4 N 2 ( g ) + O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s )
Balancing Oxygen Atoms Next, we balance the oxygen atoms. On the right side, there are 2 × 5 = 10 oxygen atoms. To balance the oxygen atoms, we need to have 10 oxygen atoms on the left side. We can achieve this by placing a coefficient of 5 in front of O 2 :
4 N 2 ( g ) + 5 O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s )
Finding the Coefficient of Oxygen Gas Now, we have 4 nitrogen atoms and 10 oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation. The balanced equation is: 4 N 2 ( g ) + 5 O 2 ( g ) → 2 N 2 O 5 ( s ) The coefficient of oxygen gas, O 2 ( g ) , is 5.
Final Answer Therefore, the coefficient of oxygen gas after balancing the equation is 5.
Examples
Balancing chemical equations is essential in various fields, including environmental science, materials science, and chemical engineering. For example, in environmental science, balancing equations helps in understanding and mitigating air pollution. Consider the formation of nitrogen dioxide ( N O 2 ) from nitrogen monoxide (NO) and oxygen ( O 2 ) in the atmosphere. The balanced equation 2 NO ( g ) + O 2 ( g ) → 2 N O 2 ( g ) shows that two molecules of nitrogen monoxide react with one molecule of oxygen to form two molecules of nitrogen dioxide, a major air pollutant. This balanced equation helps scientists quantify the amount of each gas involved in the reaction, which is crucial for developing effective pollution control strategies.
