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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Allowinit on April 07, 2009, 10:26:05 PM

Title: Balancing An Equation
Post by: Allowinit on April 07, 2009, 10:26:05 PM

We just did a lab today and got the following equation:

Oxalic Acid + Sulphuric Acid + Water + Potassium Permanganate --> Potassium Sulphate + Manganous Sulphate + Water + Carbon Dioxide


H2C2O4 + H2SO4 + H2O + KMnO4 --> K2SO4 + MnSO4 + H2O + CO2

I can't figure out how to balance it, any help?

Title: Re: Balancing An Equation
Post by: nj_bartel on April 07, 2009, 10:48:35 PM

C
S
Mn
K
O
H

Make a table like that.  On the left hand side, write how many you have of each element in the reactants.  On the right hand side, write how many you have of each element in the products.  Balance from the top down.

Title: Re: Balancing An Equation
Post by: Allowinit on April 07, 2009, 11:07:44 PM

I tried that out, I just couldn't do it even after that.

I typed it into an auto-balancing thing on the internet just to see how to do it and it said it was invalid.

Title: Re: Balancing An Equation
Post by: AWK on April 08, 2009, 01:00:19 AM

H2C2O4 + H2SO4 + H2O + KMnO4 --> K2SO4 + MnSO4 + H2O + CO2
Water on the left side is most unnecessary

Title: Re: Balancing An Equation
Post by: Allowinit on April 08, 2009, 09:31:00 AM

I woke up this morning and think I figured it out. I think the water was used as somewhat of a 'negative catalyst'. So it's not required on the reactants side.

Title: Re: Balancing An Equation
Post by: AWK on April 09, 2009, 01:14:24 AM

Water is a result of oxidation.
Read something on Gibbs(free) energy.