Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: prishila on September 21, 2015, 12:14:59 PM

Title: Balance this redox reaction
Post by: prishila on September 21, 2015, 12:14:59 PM

The redox equation is KNO3+C+S->SO2+CO2+N2+K2O.
I write:
2KNO3+5C+S->SO2+5CO2+N2+K2O
Than to balance it correctly I wrote:
12KNO3+5C+10S=10SO2+5CO2+6N2+6K2O, but I thnk I can also write:
12KNO3+14C+S->SO2+14CO2+6N2+6K2O. Which one is correct?

Title: Re: Balance this redox reaction
Post by: Borek on September 21, 2015, 02:05:21 PM

These are two separate equations (one is oxidation of S, the other oxidation of C), you can combine them in infinitely many ways.

See more detailed explanation here: http://www.chembuddy.com/?left=balancing-stoichiometry&right=balancing-failure