Question

How do you balance $K + MgBr \to KBr + Mg$?

Answer 1

Hint: We all know that we can balance a chemical equation by simply adding stoichiometric coefficients to the reactant and the products and we are also aware of the law of conservation of mass and constant proportions.

Complete step-by-step answer: As we know that any chemical equation can be balanced by simply adding the stoichiometric coefficients to the reactants as well as to the products because we know that a chemical equation actually obeys the law of conservation of mass and law of constant proportions where the same number of atoms of a particular elements must exist on the reactant and products sides.
Now talking about the given chemical equation which is shown below:
$K + MgBr \to KBr + Mg$
As we can see in the given equation that the number of potassium atoms on the left hand side and the number of potassium atoms on the right hand side are equivalent. So we can say that the potassium is balanced on both sides and we do not need to add any stoichiometric coefficient on either side.
Similarly, magnesium and bromine atoms on reactant and product sides are similar in number and therefore, both of these atoms are also balanced i.e. they are equivalent in number on both sides.
Thus, we can say that the given equation is balanced.

Note: Always remember that for balancing a chemical equation, count the number of atoms on the right hand side and the left hand side and then equalise the number of atoms accordingly to obtain a balanced equation. The stoichiometric coefficients generally balance the number of atoms on each side and are generally first assigned to the chief atom and lastly to hydrogen and oxygen atoms.