This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:
NaI + e- → Na0 (reduction)
NIII - 1 e- → NIV (oxidation)
NaNO2 is an oxidizing agent, NaNO2 is a reducing agent.
Word equation
sodium nitrite → sodium + nitrogen dioxide
Input interpretation
NaNO2 → Na + NO2
Sodium nitrite nitrogen nitrogen dioxide
Balanced equation
Balance the chemical equation algebraically:
NaNO2 → Na + NO2
Add stoichiometric coefficients, c;, to the reactants and products:
c1 NaNO2 → c2Na + c3NO2
Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for N, Na and O:
N: c1=c3
Na: c1=c2
O: 2c1 = 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:
NaNO2 → Na + NO2
Word equation
sodium nitrite → sodium + nitrogen dioxide
