Question

Balance the following equation:
\[N{H_3} + {O_2}\xrightarrow{{}}NO + {H_2}O\]

Answer 1

Hint: To balance the equation we must know some basic concepts and terms of a chemical equation. In an equation, we will compare both left and right side elements individually to balance it. We must have an equal number of elements in a balanced chemical equation.

Complete step by step answer:
First, we will understand the basic term chemical equation and its concepts. So let’s start with the definition of a chemical equation. A symbolic representation of a chemical reaction using symbols, chemical formulae, and states of elements. The left-hand side of the chemical equation is termed as reactant side. The right-hand side of a chemical equation is termed as the product side.
Now we will consider a general balanced chemical equation to be clearer about the basic concepts of a chemical equation. So let’s consider a balanced chemical equation.
\[{A_x}{B_y} + {B_x}C\xrightarrow{{}}C{A_x} + {B_{x + y}}\]
We can observe that the number of individual elements in the chemical equation are equal in reactants and products. For example, in the above-balanced chemical equation, we have, in reactants \[(A = x,C = 1,B = x + y)\] and the product side \[(A = x,C = 1,B = x + y)\]. Therefore, the chemical equation is balanced.
Now we will consider the chemical equation, \[N{H_3} + {O_2}\xrightarrow{{}}NO + {H_2}O\]. Here, in reactants \[\left( {N = 1,H = 3,O = 2} \right)\] and products \[\left( {N = 1,H = 2,O = 2} \right)\]. So we will balance a chemical equation by multiplying any constant term in the number of elements to make them equal.
The balanced chemical equation can be written as \[4N{H_3} + 5{O_2}\xrightarrow{{}}4NO + 6{H_2}O\]. We can check that the number of elements in reactant and product is equal.

Note:
While balancing a chemical equation the constant we multiply should make sense. We can multiply a fraction constant but it must make sense.
We can remove the fraction part by multiplying the constant term to make it effective.