Question

What would be the stoichiometric coefficient of hydrochloric acid in the following equation? $ C{l_2} + {H_2}O \to HCl + HCl{O_3}$
A.1
B.3
C.5
D.10

Answer 1

Hint: In chemistry, chemical reactions are frequently written as an equation, using chemical symbols. The reactants are displayed on the left side of the equation and the products are shown on the right, with the separation of either a single or double arrow that signifies the direction of the reaction. The significance of single and double arrow is important when discussing solubility constants, but we will not go into detail about it in this module.

Complete Step by step answer: Remember that in a balanced reaction, both sides of the equation have the same number of elements. The stoichiometric coefficient is the number written in front of atoms, ions and molecules in a chemical reaction to balance the number of each element on both the reactant and product sides of the equation. Though the stoichiometric coefficients can be fractions, whole numbers are frequently used and often preferred. These stoichiometric coefficients are useful since they establish the mole ratio between reactants and products.
The balanced chemical equation can be represented as:
$3C{l_2} + 3{H_2}O \to 5HCl + HCl{O_3}$
Hence, the coefficient of $HCl$ in the equation is 5.

Hence the correct option is (c).

Note: A easy way in balancing the reaction is that: try to equate the stoichiometry of element other then hydrogen and oxygen first followed by the balancing the oxygen and then hydrogen at the end.To balance an equation, it is necessary that there are the same number of atoms on the left side of the equation as the right. One can do this by raising the coefficients.