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Chemistry Forums for Students => Inorganic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: froggo on September 24, 2020, 10:12:55 AM

Title: Reaction balancing
Post by: froggo on September 24, 2020, 10:12:55 AM

Hello, I am a first year undergraduate and I've encountered a problem in my inorganic chemistry class. We did an experiment with chromium peroxide and ether and now I have a difficulty figuring out how to write out the redox reaction.
I've tried a few different approaches but I am unable to get the right coefficients.
CrO(O2)2 + H2SO4 = Cr2(SO4)3 + O2 + H2O

Title: Re: Reaction balancing
Post by: AWK on September 24, 2020, 12:18:00 PM

Try the algebraic method without arranging any equations.
Start with chromium sulfate - you'll need 2 chromium atoms and 3 sulfate residues. Combine the hydrogen atoms of sulfuric acid with oxygen atoms to make water. How many oxygen atoms are left? If the number of the remaining oxygen atoms is even then combine them into molecules, if odd, multiply all the reactants by 2 and then combine the remaining oxygen atoms into molecules. And the chemical equation is balanced.