Darros Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Can you please show me how to balance this one? (All numbers here are implied subscripts) Al(OH)3 + H2SO4 -> Al(SO4)3 + H20 asdf I cant get it -_- I tried it and got 36 Oxygens in one molecule <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tables Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) It's been at least 2 1/2 years since I've done it but I'd observe the following: As only element 1 and 3 contain Aluminium, there must be the same quantity of element 1 and element 3. Similarly, only element 1 and 2 contain Sodium, but element 3 contains 3 sodium atoms, so there must be 3 times as much of element 2 as element 3. Then suppose you have 1 element 1's, 1 element 3's, 3 element 2 and work out how many element 4's you need. Then finally, multiply through to make them all integer (whole numbers). Wait... (going back to the 2 1/2 years bit), do you need to add in an extra element as well? If so, I suspect it'd be oxygen. Edited December 16, 2010 by I Eat Tables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darros Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 -____- Typo's. That wasn't 20 Hydrogens, it was water. My major problem with this is the oxygen, seeing as all the elements have oxygen in them. But I never thought of it like that, trying to balance oxygen last. I tried to get it out of the way. 3Al(OH)3 + H2SO4 -> 3Al(SO4)3 + H2O So I need 10 Hydrogens. 3Al(OH)3 + H2SO4 -> 3Al(SO4)3 + 5H2O But now I have 12 Oxygens on the left and 17 on the right <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shroudening Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Nothing seems to be working for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darros Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 Nothing seems to be working for me. And today was catch up day so my teacher was too busy helping the others in my class. I'm not dumb, Im actually good at this, it's just this one question that's bothering me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrhesia Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I'm not dumb Prior evidence does not support this. I'd have a bash at it, but it's early morning and I'm a night-time kinda guy. I can only reiterate IET's suggestion of leaving H and O 'til last. ...or was it first? No, I think it was last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2SO4 => Al2(SO4)3 + 6H2O Ho hum, there you go. (This is what I got when I just woke up. Err...) EDIT: It's not Al(SO4)3, it's Al2(SO4)3, as Al(SO4)3 doesn't have balanced charges. Hope that helps. Edited December 16, 2010 by Mist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tables Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) Having looked at the question again, I don't think it's going to work, not without significant oxygen input on the LHS. This would work: 12Al(OH)3 + 4H2SO4 + 47O2 -> 12Al(SO4)3 + 22H2O I think Mist seems to know a bit about Chemistry. I don't, so I'd take her advice over mine (e.g. correcting the equation) Edited December 16, 2010 by I Eat Tables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
someonewhodied Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I tried. Couldn't do it. Brain too fuzzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) I remember balancing equations, and no matter what I do this doesn't balance. FFFUUUU I was even pretty good at it. EDIT: Mist, where'd you get the Al2 on the right side? EDIT2: IET, I'm pretty sure you're specifically NOT allowed to add elements, only extras of the existing ones. Edited December 16, 2010 by Integrity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charpig Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) It might help to think of H2O as HOH, and treat the OH as one unit and the SO4 as one unit. I'm still working on it. The main problem seems to be that with H2SO4, you have 2 H to every H in HOH. @I Eat Tables: S is Sulfur, not Sodium. Na is Sodium. EDIT: Whoops, it just seems that you had your equation wrong. I shoulda caught that. Edited December 16, 2010 by Charpig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 EDIT: Mist, where'd you get the Al2 on the right side? I made an edit. Al has a ionic charge of 3+, and SO4 has 2-. Al(SO4)3 would have a net charge of 3-, but Al2(SO4)3 would have no net charge, hence a balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I made an edit. Al has a ionic charge of 3+, and SO4 has 2-. Al(SO4)3 would have a net charge of 3-, but Al2(SO4)3 would have no net charge, hence a balance. In that case, you're rather beyond me so I'm stepping back. I don't remember any shit of this magnitude, just numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I could totally weigh in, but my expertise in this field is far too worthy for some keystrokes on some random tippy-typer. Or I totally forgot about Chemistry the moment I left Sophomore year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxas Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Lack of subscript makes me qq. I've been iffy on balancing since I entered the magical land of VSEPR. ;_; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
someonewhodied Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I find it funny how everyone thats gone through chemistry here can't seem to do this. I'm starting to think we're being trolled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shroudening Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 (edited) Looking at mist's equation, I've realized where I went wrong. I was trying to balance Sulfate, which doesn't work in this case. And the fact that Al(SO4)3 is incorrect made it impossible anyways. Damn, I have a test on this stuff tomorrow. *goes off to memorizing polyatomic ions once more* Edited December 17, 2010 by Isaac55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxas Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I find it funny how everyone thats gone through chemistry here can't seem to do this. I'm starting to think we're being trolled. Hurrrrp. >: Looking at mist's equation, I've realized where I went wrong. I was trying to balance Sulfate, which doesn't work in this case. And the fact that Al(SO4)3 is incorrect made it impossible anyways. Damn, I have a test on this stuff tomorrow. *goes off to memorizing polyatomic ions once more* >flash cards C TWO H THREE O TWO ACETATE CHARGE MINUS ONE /flip YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolDeath Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I find it funny how everyone thats gone through chemistry here can't seem to do this. I'm starting to think we're being trolled. if it makes you feel any better brah i never took it and i can't either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shroudening Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Hurrrrp. >: >flash cards C TWO H THREE O TWO ACETATE CHARGE MINUS ONE /flip YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH Acetate is little league compared to oxalate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriemhild Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 In that case, you're rather beyond me so I'm stepping back. I don't remember any shit of this magnitude, just numbers. No, seriously, SO4's charge is very basic knowledge. Did you drop out of Chemistry really early or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
鳴美 Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Sub- and super- scripts are possible here, dammit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriemhild Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Sub- and super- scripts are possible here, dammit! Super is only for Maths. Chemistry doesn't need it. Except in some of the Maths bits (Rate equations, Kc/p/a/b/etc equations, etc). But those are part of Maths anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
鳴美 Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Super is only for Maths. Chemistry doesn't need it. Except in some of the Maths bits (Rate equations, Kc/p/a/b/etc equations, etc). But those are part of Maths anyway. Yes, but I don't like separating them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 No, seriously, SO4's charge is very basic knowledge. Did you drop out of Chemistry really early or something? The identity of Superman is very basic knowledge. The times tables are very basic knowledge. The name of the continents is very basic knowledge. The charge of SO4 is not very basic knowledge, in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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