Table of contents

Word equation

diammonium sulfide + nitric acid → ammonium nitrate + hydrogen sulfide

Input interpretation

(NH4)2S + HNO3 → NH4NO3 + H2S

 Diammonium sulfide nitric acid ammonium nitrate hydrogen sulfide

Balanced equation

Balance the chemical equation algebraically: 

(NH4)2S + HNO3 → NH4NO3 + H2S

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

c1(NH4)2S + c2 HNO3 → c3NH4NO3 + c4H2S

Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for H, N, S and O:

H: 8c1 + c2= 4c3 + 2c4 

N: 2c1+ c2 = 2c3 

S: c1 = c4

O: 3c2 = 3c3

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 = 2 c4=1

Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced

equation:

Answer:

(NH4)2S + HNO3 → NH4NO3 + H2S