Chapter 3, Problem 3.41P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Chemical equation given below has to be balanced.

    $\text{NaOH}(aq)+{\text{NaNO}}_{\text{2}}(aq)+Al(s)+{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{O}(l)\to {\text{NH}}_{\text{3}}(aq)+{\text{NaAlO}}_{\text{2}}(aq)$

Concept Introduction:

Chemical reaction is represented in short form by using the molecular formulas of products and reactants in which an arrow is present between reactants and products is known as chemical equation.  Atoms are neither created nor destroyed in any chemical reaction.  Therefore, the resulting chemical equation written for the chemical reaction should also be balanced.

Steps followed to obtain balanced chemical equation:

• Chemical formulas of the products and reactants are written.  Individual reactants and products are separated using plus sign while the reactants are separated from products by an arrow.
• Elements that appear only once on the reactant side and product side is balanced first.  Subscript should not be changed in chemical formula while balancing coefficients can be added until the total number of atoms of an element becomes equal on reactant and product side.
• Other elements present also balanced in the same way by adding balancing coefficients.
• Final check has to be performed in order to check that each element that is present in the chemical equation is balanced.
• Symbols have to be added for solids, liquids gases and aqueous solutions to indicate the physical state of the known reactants and products.