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
