1. Identify the Reactants and Products
* Reactants: Fluorine (F₂) and Calcium Chloride (CaCl₂)
* Products: This reaction is a single displacement reaction, where fluorine is more reactive than chlorine and will displace it. The products will be Calcium Fluoride (CaF₂) and Chlorine (Cl₂).
2. Write the Unbalanced Equation
F₂ + CaCl₂ → CaF₂ + Cl₂
3. Balance the Equation
* Calcium (Ca): One calcium atom on each side, so it's already balanced.
* Fluorine (F): Two fluorine atoms on the left (F₂) and two on the right (CaF₂), so it's balanced.
* Chlorine (Cl): Two chlorine atoms on the left (CaCl₂) and two on the right (Cl₂), so it's balanced.
4. Balanced Equation
The balanced equation is:
F₂ + CaCl₂ → CaF₂ + Cl₂
