1. Identify the Reactants and Products:
* Reactants: SnO₂ (tin oxide) and H₂ (hydrogen gas)
* Products: Sn (tin) and H₂O (water)
2. Count Atoms on Each Side:
| Element | Reactants | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Sn | 1 | 1 |
| O | 2 | 1 |
| H | 2 | 2 |
3. Balance the Oxygen Atoms:
* There are 2 oxygen atoms on the reactant side and only 1 on the product side.
* Add a coefficient of 2 in front of H₂O:
SnO₂ + H₂ → Sn + 2H₂O
4. Balance the Hydrogen Atoms:
* Now, we have 4 hydrogen atoms on the product side and 2 on the reactant side.
* Add a coefficient of 2 in front of H₂:
SnO₂ + 2H₂ → Sn + 2H₂O
5. Check for Balanced Equation:
* Sn: 1 on each side
* O: 2 on each side
* H: 4 on each side
The balanced chemical equation is:
SnO₂ + 2H₂ → Sn + 2H₂O