1. Identify the Reactants and Products
* Reactants: Iron(II) sulfate (FeSO₄) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
* Products: Iron(II) hydroxide (Fe(OH)₂) and sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄)
2. Write the Unbalanced Equation
FeSO₄(aq) + NaOH(aq) → Fe(OH)₂(s) + Na₂SO₄(aq)
3. Balance the Equation
* Iron (Fe): The equation is already balanced for iron.
* Sulfur (S): The equation is already balanced for sulfur.
* Sodium (Na): We need two sodium atoms on the left side. We'll put a 2 in front of NaOH.
* Oxygen (O): We need two more oxygen atoms on the right side. The equation is now balanced.
* Hydrogen (H): We need two more hydrogen atoms on the right side. The equation is now balanced.
Balanced Equation:
FeSO₄(aq) + 2 NaOH(aq) → Fe(OH)₂(s) + Na₂SO₄(aq)
Explanation of States
* (aq) indicates that the substance is dissolved in water (aqueous solution).
* (s) indicates that the substance is a solid precipitate.
Note: This reaction forms a green precipitate of iron(II) hydroxide.
