An unbalanced chemical equation for the reaction of boron fluoride with lithium sulfite is shown below.
[tex]BF _3+ Li _2 SO _3 \rightarrow B_2( SO _3)_3+ LiF[/tex]
What is the coefficient of lithium fluoride in the balanced chemical reaction?
1
3
4
6
Answer (2)
Balance the boron atoms by placing a coefficient of 2 in front of B F 3 .
Balance the sulfite groups by placing a coefficient of 3 in front of L i 2 S O 3 .
Balance the lithium atoms by placing a coefficient of 6 in front of L i F .
Verify that the fluorine atoms are balanced. The coefficient of L i F is 6 .
Explanation
Analyzing the Problem We are given an unbalanced chemical equation: B F 3 + L i 2 S O 3 → B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 + L i F Our goal is to balance this equation and find the coefficient of L i F in the balanced form. Balancing a chemical equation means ensuring that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
Balancing Boron Let's start by balancing the boron (B) atoms. There are 2 boron atoms on the right side ( B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 ) and 1 on the left side ( B F 3 ). To balance boron, we place a coefficient of 2 in front of B F 3 :
2 B F 3 + L i 2 S O 3 → B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 + L i F
Balancing Sulfite Next, let's balance the sulfite ( S O 3 ) groups. There are 3 sulfite groups on the right side ( B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 ) and 1 on the left side ( L i 2 S O 3 ). To balance the sulfite groups, we place a coefficient of 3 in front of L i 2 S O 3 :
2 B F 3 + 3 L i 2 S O 3 → B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 + L i F
Balancing Lithium Now, let's balance the lithium (Li) atoms. There are 3 L i 2 on the left side, which means there are 3 × 2 = 6 lithium atoms. On the right side, there is 1 lithium atom in L i F . To balance lithium, we place a coefficient of 6 in front of L i F :
2 B F 3 + 3 L i 2 S O 3 → B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 + 6 L i F
Balancing Fluorine and Final Balanced Equation Finally, let's balance the fluorine (F) atoms. There are 2 B F 3 on the left side, which means there are 2 × 3 = 6 fluorine atoms. On the right side, there are 6 fluorine atoms in 6 L i F . Thus, fluorine is already balanced.
The balanced chemical equation is: 2 B F 3 + 3 L i 2 S O 3 → B 2 ( S O 3 ) 3 + 6 L i F
Finding the Coefficient of Lithium Fluoride The coefficient of L i F in the balanced chemical equation is 6.
Examples
Balancing chemical equations is crucial in many real-world applications, such as in the pharmaceutical industry when synthesizing new drugs. For example, if a chemist wants to produce a specific amount of a drug, they need to know the exact amount of each reactant required. By balancing the chemical equation, they can determine the precise stoichiometric ratios, ensuring that the reaction proceeds efficiently and minimizes waste. This is also important in environmental science when studying pollution or designing remediation strategies, as it helps to understand the quantities of pollutants involved and the chemical reactions that occur.
The coefficient of lithium fluoride in the balanced chemical reaction is 6. This was determined by balancing the boron, sulfite groups, and lithium atoms in the equation. The final balanced equation is 2BF_3 + 3Li_2SO_3 → B_2(SO_3)_3 + 6LiF.
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