Question

Write the balanced equation for the following chemical reaction:
Barium chloride + Aluminium sulphate $\to$ Barium sulphate + Aluminium chloride

Answer 1

Hint: In chemistry, reactions are basically formation of new compounds from reacting certain elements or compounds and these new compounds exhibit different properties distinct from the original compounds. The reactants are the original compounds and the new formed compounds are called products. To represent it we have a standard form of writing a balanced chemical equation.

Complete step by step answer:
To write a balanced chemical equation we need to consider certain points. In a balanced chemical reaction. Subscripts and coefficients play a big role.
Subscripts are a part of the chemical compound which cannot be changed as it contributes in the composition and the properties of the compound. While coefficients indicate the number of molecules required to form the resultant molecule.
Let’s consider the given example,
Barium chloride + Aluminium sulphate $\to$ Barium sulphate + Aluminium chloride
We know the chemical formula of all the above reactants and products.
Barium chloride is - $BaC{l_2}$
Aluminium sulphate is - $A{l_2}{(S{O_4})_3}$
Barium sulphate is - $BaS{O_4}$
And lastly Aluminium chloride is - $AlC{l_3}$
The chemical reaction can be written as,
$BaC{l_2} + A{l_2}{(S{O_4})_3} \to BaS{O_4} + AlC{l_3}$
The barium chloride exists in solid crystalline form, aluminium sulphate is gas, barium sulphate is again solid substance and aluminium chloride is solid.
Hence, we will write the state of the compounds as subscripts of each compound. The reaction will look like,
$BaC{l_2}_{(s)} + A{l_2}{(S{O_4})_3}_{(g)} \to BaS{O_4}_{(s)} + AlC{l_3}_{(s)}$
Now, we will balance the equation with an equal number of atoms in compounds on the both sides. To do so we will add coefficients to the compounds.
We can write the balanced chemical reaction as,
$3BaC{l_2}_{(s)} + A{l_2}{(S{O_4})_3}_{(g)} \to 3BaS{O_4}_{(s)} + 2AlC{l_3}_{(s)}$

Note: We need to know that a balanced chemical reaction not only gives us the chemical composition of the reactants and products, but it also helps us to determine the quantity and moles of substances required to react and the quantity or moles of the products that will be obtained. The balanced chemical equation also states the physical state of the substance whether solid, liquid or gas. There is a set of predefined steps for writing a balanced chemical equation, which are used to write chemical equations.