Unbalanced Equation:
(NH₄)₂CO₃(s) → NH₃(g) + H₂O(g) + CO₂(g)
Balanced Equation:
(NH₄)₂CO₃(s) → 2NH₃(g) + H₂O(g) + CO₂(g)
Explanation:
1. Identify the reactants and products: The reactant is ammonium carbonate ((NH₄)₂CO₃), and the products are ammonia (NH₃), water (H₂O), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).
2. Count the atoms on each side:
* Reactants: 2 N, 8 H, 1 C, 3 O
* Products: 1 N, 4 H, 1 C, 3 O
3. Balance the nitrogen: There are 2 nitrogen atoms on the reactant side and only 1 on the product side. Place a coefficient of 2 in front of NH₃.
4. Check for other imbalances: The hydrogen and oxygen atoms are now also balanced.
The balanced equation shows that when ammonium carbonate is heated, it decomposes into 2 moles of ammonia gas, 1 mole of water vapor, and 1 mole of carbon dioxide gas.
