[techdealer]

Hello,

I wonder what is the correct way to expand a chemical equation with 2 multiplications or more, in order to balance it. I found nothing on the net about it.

For exemple, the following equation:
CuSO4*2H2O*3H2O = CuSO4 + H2O

how I should expand the first reagent?

should be?
CuSO4H4O2H6O3 -> CuSO4H10O5

for my logic should be this, but looks like that this is wrong, at least if i replace the first reagent by the expanded form, i get a different result in a software to balance chemical equations.

Someone can help me?

[Borek]

It is not a multiplication, it is just a way writing formulas, instead of * it should use a middle dot (·) - so CuSO₄·5H₂O (no idea why someone would want to write CuSO₄·2H₂O·3H₂O, although technically it is correct).

For balancing it is equivalent of writing CuSO₄(H₂O)₅ (or CuSO₄(H₂O)₂(H₂O)₃).

CuSO4H4O2H6O3 -> CuSO4H10O5

These are equivalent. Both are H₁₀O₉SCu (elements sorted by their atomic number).

[techdealer]

In the meantime, I figured out how this works.

Im currently programming my own chemical equation balancer tool, so I should consider all "Pseudo-situations", that the users could insert.

[sjb]

It is not a multiplication, it is just a way writing formulas, instead of * it should use a middle dot (·) - so CuSO₄·5H₂O (no idea why someone would want to write CuSO₄·2H₂O·3H₂O, although technically it is correct).

The dihydrate exists, from memory. I think there are 3 waters less tightly bound to the complex. See e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copper%28II%29_sulfate&oldid=586890936 , though looking at the link why not go the full hog and depict as CuSO₄·H₂O·2H₂O.2H₂O ?

[techdealer]

There are definitely molecules with more than 1 conjunt of "? hydrates ?". For exemple, i found some at this page: http://minmag.geoscienceworld.org/content/77/7/2887.abstract (really nice  )

I think the issue is resolved and I am glad to say that I managed implement support for multiple "? hydrates ?" in the tool that in working.

Just a final question: what is the most extense/big (in number of elements) chemical reaction/equation that you know? I want display one really big as an exemple of my future tool.