February 28, 2021, 01:47:41 AM
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Topic: Balancing Question  (Read 277 times)

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Offline Brain(aq)

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Balancing Question
« on: February 11, 2020, 09:47:37 AM »
I apologize in advance for my ignorance ...trying to self-teach myself chemistry....anyway, here it goes:

If solid mercury (II) oxide is written HgO, then why is the balanced equation 2HgO  :rarrow: 2Hg + O2 ?
Why cant it just be HgO  :rarrow: Hg + O...is it because oxygen is diatomic?  HgO has a single atom of each in the compound correct?
« Last Edit: February 11, 2020, 09:59:45 AM by Clinton »
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Offline chenbeier

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Re: Balancing Question
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2020, 10:14:33 AM »
Correctly Oxygen exist mostly as O2. So if it will be used in an chemical equation, it has to be balanced accordingly.

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