Word equation
iodoform + silver nitrate + water → nitric acid + carbon monoxide + silver(I)
iodide
Input interpretation
CHI3 + AgNO3 + H2O → HNO3 + CO + Agi
Iodoform silver nitrate water nitric acid carbon monoxide silver(1) iodide
Balanced equation
Balance the chemical equation algebraically:
CHI3 + AgNO3 + H2O → HNO3 + CO + Agi
Add stoichiometric coefficients, c1, to the reactants and products:
c1CHI3 + c2AgNO3 + c3 H2O → c4 HNO3 + c5CO + c6Agi
Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for C, H, I, Ag, N and O:
C: c1 = c5
H: c1+ 2c3 = Cc4
I: 3c1 = c6
Ag: c2 = c6
N: c2 = c4
O: 3c2 + c3 = 3c4 + c5
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=3
c3 = 1 c4=3
c5 = 1 c6=3
Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation:
Answer:
CHI3 + AgNO3 + H2O → HNO3 + CO + Agi