[cvc121]

Hi,

How would you explain how these chemical equations have been altered given the equation A + 2B  3C? I know this is a very simple question to answer, but I am not sure how to explain it properly.



1.  C  1/3A + 2/3B
2.  2A + 4B  6C

For #1, could I say that the reaction proceeds in the reverse direction and moles are reduced by 1/3? For #2, could I say that the number of moles have increased 2 times.

Can anyone help me with my descriptions? Thanks! All help is very much appreciated!

[thetada]

Your second description is fine, although it's easier to say that  the number of moles of each substance has doubled.

For the first description, you're right that the equation has reversed but wrong about the level of reduction. The amount of each substance has been reduced by two thirds.

[Borek]

Please remember correctly balanced reaction has - by convention - the smallest possible integer coefficients. If they are not following the convention, you have to either divide them all by the greatest common divisor or multiply by the lowest common multiple of the denominators.

Equations you have were produced just by similar processes - first has its coefficients divided by 3 (actually by -3, as the reaction was also reversed), in the second they were multiplied by 2.