Table of contents

This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:

ClVII + 8 e- → Cl-I (reduction)

4 O-II - 8 e- → 4 O0 (oxidation)

NaClO4 is an oxidizing agent, NaClO4 is a reducing agent.

Word equation

sodium perchlorate → oxygen + sodium chloride

Input interpretation

NaClO4 → O2 + NaCl

Sodium perchlorate oxygen sodium chloride

Balanced equation

Balance the chemical equation algebraically:

NaClO4 → O2 + NaCl

Add stoichiometric coefficients, c, to the reactants and products:

c1 NaClO4 → c2 O2 + c3 NaCl

Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for Cl, Na and O:

Cl: c1 = c3

Na: c1 = c3

O: 4c1 = 2c2

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=2 

c3 = 1

Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced

equation:

Answer:

NaClO4 → O2 + NaCl