1. Determine the Formula of the Oxide

* Since there's 1 oxygen atom for every 2 potassium atoms, the formula is K₂O.

2. Write the Unbalanced Equation

* Potassium (K) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to form potassium oxide (K₂O):

K + O₂ → K₂O

3. Balance the Equation

* Oxygen: There are 2 oxygen atoms on the left (O₂) and 1 on the right (K₂O). To balance, put a coefficient of 1/2 in front of O₂.

K + 1/2 O₂ → K₂O

* Potassium: There are 2 potassium atoms on the right (K₂O) and 1 on the left (K). To balance, put a coefficient of 2 in front of K.

2K + 1/2 O₂ → K₂O

* Fractional Coefficients: To avoid fractional coefficients, multiply the entire equation by 2:

4K + O₂ → 2K₂O

Answer:

The coefficient in the balanced equation for the formation of potassium oxide is 4 for potassium (4K).