This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:
2 NV + 4 e- → 2 NIII (reduction)
2 O-II - 4 e- → 2 O0 (oxidation)
Ca(NO3)2 is an oxidizing agent, Ca(NO3)2 is a reducing agent.
Word equation
calcium nitrate → calcium nitrite + oxygen
Input interpretation
Ca(NO3)2 → Ca(NO2)2 + O2
calcium nitrate calcium nitrite oxygen
Balanced equation
Balance the chemical equation algebraically:
Ca(NO3)2 → Ca(NO2)2 + O2
Add stoichiometric coefficients, c;, to the reactants and products:
c1Ca(NO3)2 → c2Ca(NO2)2 + c3O2
Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for Ca, N and O:
Ca: c1 = c2
N: 2c1 = 2c2
O: 6c1= 4c2+2c3
Since the coefficients are relative quantities and underdetermined, choose a coefficient to set arbitrarily. To keep the coefficients small, the arbitrary value is ordinarily one. For instance, set c1 = 1 and solve the system of equations for the remaining coefficients:
c1 = 1 c2 = 1
c3=1
Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation:
Answer:
Ca(NO3)2 → Ca(NO2)2 + O2
