Question

How to balance this?
$C+{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\to C{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O+S{{O}_{2}}$

Answer 1

The addition of stoichiometric coefficients to the reactant and products involves balancing chemical equations. The law of conservation must be followed by chemical equations and the law of constant proportions is very important in balancing chemical equations. The traditional balancing method and the algebraic balancing method are the two quick easy methods of balancing a chemical equation.

Complete step by step solution:
Given reaction,
$C+{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\to C{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O+S{{O}_{2}}$
The substance that undergoes a chemical change in the above reaction, carbon and sulfuric acid are the reactants, and carbon dioxide, water, and sulfur dioxide are the new products.
A word equation shows the change of reactants to products through the arrow placed between them. The reactants are written on the left-hand side and products are written on the right-hand side with plus (+) sign between them.
The arrowhead points show the direction of products in the reaction.
A chemical equation represents a chemical reaction, when chemical formulas are used instead of words.
Balancing the given chemical equation using traditional balancing method:
Step-1: the given unbalanced equation
$C+{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\to C{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O+S{{O}_{2}}$
Step-2:
Count and compare the number of atoms of each element on LHS and RHS of the arrow. Check the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the reaction, then the equation is said to be unbalanced. Because both sides of the chemical equation, the mass is not the same.

Chemical equation: $C+{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\to C{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O+S{{O}_{2}}$

Reactants side| Product side
One carbon atom from C| One carbon atom
Two hydrogen atoms from ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ | Two hydrogen atoms from ${{H}_{2}}O$
One sulfur atom from ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ | One sulfur atom from $S{{O}_{2}}$
4 oxygen atoms from ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ | 5 oxygen atoms, 2 from $C{{O}_{2}}$ , one from ${{H}_{2}}O$ , 2 from $S{{O}_{2}}$

Step: 3
Recollect once, the law of conservation of mass states that mass can neither be created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction, which means the total mass of the elements present in the products of the chemical reaction has to be equal to the total mass of the elements present in the reactants.

Chemical equation: $C+2{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\to C{{O}_{2}}+2{{H}_{2}}O+2S{{O}_{2}}$

Reactants side| Product side
One carbon atom from C| One carbon atom
4 hydrogen atoms from ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ | 4 hydrogen atoms from ${{H}_{2}}O$
2 sulfur atoms from ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ | 2 sulfur atoms from $S{{O}_{2}}$
8 oxygen atoms from ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}$ | 8 oxygen atoms, 2 from $C{{O}_{2}}$ , 2 from ${{H}_{2}}O$ , 4 from $S{{O}_{2}}$

Hence, the balanced chemical reaction will be,
$C+2{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\to C{{O}_{2}}+2{{H}_{2}}O+2S{{O}_{2}}$.

Note: For example, when milk is left at room temperature or food is cooked, or food gets digestion in our body. In these situations, the nature and identity of the initial substance had changed. Whenever a chemical change takes place, that chemical reaction represents the change in a reaction.