Write a balanced chemical equation for the given reaction and also classify them: A piece of sodium metal is added to absolute ethanol to form sodium ethoxide and hydrogen gas.

Balanced chemical reaction:

• A balanced chemical reaction is a reaction in which the number of atoms for every element on the reactant and product side should be equal.
• A chemical equation should be balanced by putting numbers.

Reaction:

• A piece of sodium metal is added to absolute ethanol that results in the formation of sodium ethoxide and hydrogen gas, the balanced equation is,

$2\mathrm{Na}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+2{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to 2{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{ONa}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)$

• The above reaction is an example of a displacement reaction.

Displacement Reaction

• A displacement reaction occurs when an atom or a group of atoms in a molecule is displaced by another atom.

$\mathrm{A}+\mathrm{B}-\mathrm{C}\to \mathrm{A}-\mathrm{C}+\mathrm{B}$

• When $\mathrm{A}$ is more reactive than $\mathrm{B}$, the above equation exists.
• $\mathrm{A}$ will displace $\mathrm{B}$ as per the above equation.