How to Balance the Chemical Reaction: Class 10 Chapter 1 NCERT

It is the conservation of the mass due to which we need to balance a chemical reaction, to balance a chemical reaction is very easy,if so far you don’t know how to balance it, then go through the whole post, you will definitely become capable to balance the chemical reaction jus know.

Before, we go through the post, let us discuss few important points why is the balance of the chemical reaction needed and why did chemical reaction occured between two substances.

One atom of a substance react to atom of other substance to fulfill the the no. of electrons in their outermost orbital,every atom has a tendency to have a octate of electrons in its outermost orbital,for acheiving this one substance reacts with other substance.

The chemical reaction between two substances results in the formation of new products, according to the law of conservation of the mass, the mass of reactants is always equal to the mass of products during a chemical reaction. The products are formed in a chemical reaction by the exchange of ions or atoms following the rule of constant proportion.

The law of constant proportion states that the atoms in a molecule are always combined in a fixed proportion,as an example in water (H2O), the mass of hydrogen is 2×1 =2u, and the mass of oxygen is 8u, so the ratio of the hydrogen and oxygen in water is always 1: 8 whether water is found anywhere in the universe and in any form gas, liquid and solid.

How to Balance the Chemical Reaction: Class 10 Chapter 1 NCERT

We can understand it by the following example.

H₂ + O₂ ⇒ H₂O

Step 1: First of all count the no. of atoms of the elements in LHS and RHS , as in the above chemical reaction in LHS the no. of hydrogen atoms is 2 and in RHS the no. of atoms of hydrogen is 2, therefore hydrogen atoms are not needed to balance because they are equal in both sides.

Step 2: Now, observing the no. of oxygen atoms in LHS, these are 2. In RHS the no. of oxygen atoms is 1, therefore for balancing the oxygen atom we are needed to change the single water molecules to 2 water molecules in RHS so that there could be 2 oxygen atoms.

H₂ + O₂ ⇒ 2H₂O

Step 3: Finally, once again let us check the no. of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in LHS and RHS, we find the no. of hydrogen in RHS is 4 and 2 hydrogen atoms in LHS, therefore for balancing the hydrogen atoms we are needed to change the single hydrogen molecule to 2 hydrogen molecules in LHS so that there could be 4 hydrogen atoms.

2H₂ + O₂ ⇒ 2H₂O

It is the required balance chemical reaction because in LHS and RHS there are equal no. of hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

Example 2: Balance the chemical reaction:Fe + H₂O⇒ Fe₃O₄+ H₂

Step 1: In LHS iron atoms are 1 and in LHS these are 3,therefore changing the 1 iron atom to 3 iron atom in LHS

3Fe + H₂O⇒ Fe₃O₄+ H₂

Step 2: In LHS there is 1 oxygen atoms and in RHS these are 4,therefore changing the 1 water molecule to 4 water molecules in LHS such that in LHS no. of oxygen atoms become 4.

3Fe + 4H₂O⇒ Fe₃O₄+ H₂

Step 3: Now ,we see that in LHS there are 8 hydrogen atoms and in RHS these are 2,therefore changing the 1 hydrogen molecule to 4 hydrogen molecules in RHS such that in RHS no. of hydrogen atoms become 8

3Fe + 4H₂O⇒ Fe₃O₄+ 4H₂

It is a required balance chemical reaction no. of the atoms of each elements are equal in both sides.