1. Identify the Reactants and Products:
* Reactants: 3Zn(OH)₂ and 2H₃PO₄
* Products: Zn₃(PO₄)₂ and H₂O
2. Count the Atoms on Each Side:
| Element | Reactants | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Zn | 3 | 3 |
| O | 8 | 10 |
| H | 12 | 2 |
| P | 2 | 2 |
3. Balance the Equation:
* Balance Zinc (Zn): The Zn is already balanced.
* Balance Phosphorus (P): The P is already balanced.
* Balance Oxygen (O): There are 8 O atoms on the reactant side and 10 on the product side. We need to add 2 more O atoms to the reactant side. We can do this by adding a coefficient of 4 in front of H₂O on the product side. This will give us a total of 10 O atoms on both sides.
* Balance Hydrogen (H): We now have 12 H atoms on the reactant side and 8 on the product side. To balance this, we need to add a coefficient of 6 in front of H₂O on the product side.
4. The Balanced Equation:
3Zn(OH)₂ + 2H₃PO₄ → Zn₃(PO₄)₂ + 6H₂O
Verification:
| Element | Reactants | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Zn | 3 | 3 |
| O | 8 + 12 = 20 | 8 + 12 = 20 |
| H | 12 | 12 |
| P | 2 | 2 |
The equation is now balanced, meaning the number of each type of atom is the same on both sides.
