Word equation
tin(II) chloride + water → tin(II) hydroxide + hydrogen chloride
Input interpretation
SnCl2 + H2O → Sn(OH)2 + HCl
tin(II) chloride water tin(II) hydroxide hydrogen chloride
Balanced equation
Balance the chemical equation algebraically:
SnCl2 + H2O → Sn(OH)2 + HCl
Add stoichiometric coefficients, c,, to the reactants and products:
c1 SnCl2 + c2H2O → c3 Sn(OH)2 + c4 HCl
Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for Cl, Sn, H and O:
Cl: 2c1= c4
Sn: c1 = c3
H: 2c2 = 2c3 + c4
O: c2=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=2
c3 = 1 c4=2
Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation:
Answer:
SnCl2 + H2O → Sn(OH)2 + HCl
