1. Balance Carbon (C): Start by balancing the carbon atoms on both sides of the equation.
2. Balance Hydrogen (H): Next, balance the hydrogen atoms.
3. Balance Oxygen (O): Finally, balance the oxygen atoms. This usually involves adjusting the coefficient in front of the oxygen molecule (O₂).
Example:
Let's balance the combustion of methane (CH₄):
Unbalanced equation: CH₄ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O
Steps:
1. Balance Carbon: There's one carbon on each side, so carbon is balanced.
2. Balance Hydrogen: There are four hydrogen atoms on the left and two on the right. Add a coefficient of 2 in front of H₂O:
CH₄ + O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O
3. Balance Oxygen: There are two oxygen atoms on the left and four on the right. Add a coefficient of 2 in front of O₂:
CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O
Balanced equation: CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O
Important Note: While this order generally works well, there might be cases where you need to adjust the coefficients slightly to achieve a balanced equation.
