1. Identify the Reactants and Products

* Reactants: Cl₂ (Chlorine gas), KI (Potassium Iodide)

* Products: KCl (Potassium Chloride), I₂ (Iodine)

2. Write the Unbalanced Equation

Cl₂ + KI → KCl + I₂

3. Balance the Atoms

* Chlorine (Cl): There are 2 chlorine atoms on the left (Cl₂) and 1 on the right (KCl). To balance, put a coefficient of 2 in front of KCl.

* Potassium (K): There is 1 potassium atom on the left (KI) and 2 on the right (2KCl). To balance, put a coefficient of 2 in front of KI.

* Iodine (I): There is 1 iodine atom on the left (KI) and 2 on the right (I₂). The equation is already balanced for iodine.

4. The Balanced Equation

The balanced chemical equation is:

Cl₂ + 2KI → 2KCl + I₂

Explanation:

* Coefficients: The numbers in front of each molecule represent the number of molecules involved in the reaction.

* Conservation of Mass: The balanced equation ensures that the same number of each type of atom appears on both sides of the equation, fulfilling the law of conservation of mass.