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Question

Write the balanced chemical equations for the following reactions

Magnesium burns in carbon dioxide to form magnesium oxide and carbon.


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Solution

A chemical equation in which the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation is equal is called a balanced chemical equation.

Step-1: Representation of the chemical reaction.

MagnesiumMg burns in carbon dioxideCO2 to form magnesium oxideMgO and carbonC.

MgMagnesium+CO2CarbondioxideMgOMagnesiumoxide+CCarbon

Step-2: Calculating the number of atoms on both sides.

ElementsThe number of atoms on the reactant sideThe number of atoms on the product side
Mg11
C11
O21

Here, we can see that equation is not balanced.

Step-3: Balancing of the chemical equation.

We can see that magnesium and carbon are already balanced.

To balance oxygen on both the sides, we will add 2 againstMgO.

Mg+CO22MgO+C

ElementsThe number of atoms on the reactant sideThe number of atoms on the product side.
Mg12
C11
O22

To balance Mg on both the sides, we will add 2 against Mg on reactant side.

2MgMagnesium+CO2Carbondioxide2MgOMagnesiumoxide+CCarbon

ElementsThe number of atoms on the reactant sideThe number of atoms on the product side.
Mg22
C11
O22

Hence, we can see that equation is balanced on both sides as atoms are the same on both sides now.

2Mg(s)Magnesium+CO2(g)Carbondioxide2MgO(s)Magnesiumoxide+C(s)Carbon

This is a balanced equation.


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