Balancing chemical equation with substitution | Chemistry | Khan Academy

Khan Academy
19 Nov 201404:11
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script guides viewers through the process of balancing a chemical equation involving the reaction of ferric oxide with sulfuric acid to produce ferric sulfate and water. It addresses the complexity introduced by the sulfate group and offers a strategy to simplify the task by treating the sulfate group as a single entity, represented by 'x'. The script then demonstrates step-by-step how to balance the equation by focusing on iron, oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfate groups separately, ultimately achieving a balanced chemical equation.

Takeaways
  • πŸ§ͺ The script discusses the process of balancing a chemical equation involving ferric oxide and sulfuric acid.
  • πŸ” It suggests that viewers should attempt to balance the equation themselves before revealing the solution.
  • πŸ€” The script addresses a common difficulty in balancing equations with sulfate groups due to their complexity.
  • πŸ“ The sulfate group is treated as a single entity (represented by 'x') to simplify the balancing process.
  • πŸ“š The script emphasizes the importance of balancing elements outside of the sulfate groups separately from the sulfate groups themselves.
  • 🧩 The equation is rewritten with a substitution to make the balancing process more manageable.
  • 🌟 The iron (Fe) atoms are already balanced on both sides of the equation without any adjustments needed.
  • πŸ’§ Oxygen atoms are balanced by adjusting the number of water molecules on the product side.
  • πŸ’¦ Hydrogen atoms are balanced by determining the correct number of sulfuric acid molecules required.
  • πŸ”„ The sulfate groups are balanced by ensuring an equal number of 'x' (sulfate group) on both sides of the equation.
  • πŸ“ˆ After balancing, the script shows the final coefficients for ferric oxide, sulfuric acid, ferric sulfate, and water.
  • πŸ“ The final balanced chemical equation is presented, demonstrating the successful application of the balancing method.
Q & A
  • What is the main focus of the video script?

    -The main focus of the video script is to demonstrate how to balance a chemical equation involving the reaction of ferric oxide with sulfuric acid to produce ferric sulfate and water.

  • What is the reactant in the chemical reaction discussed in the script?

    -The reactant in the chemical reaction is ferric oxide, which is reacting with sulfuric acid.

  • What products are formed in the balanced chemical equation?

    -The products formed in the balanced chemical equation are ferric sulfate and water.

  • Why might the sulfate group be confusing when trying to balance the equation?

    -The sulfate group might be confusing because it contains multiple oxygen atoms, and it can be challenging to account for all of them while balancing the equation.

  • What strategy does the script suggest to simplify the balancing process?

    -The script suggests treating the sulfate group as a single entity (represented by 'x') and balancing the oxygens outside of the sulfate groups separately from the sulfate groups themselves.

  • What is the role of 'x' in the rewritten chemical equation?

    -In the rewritten chemical equation, 'x' represents a sulfate group, simplifying the process of balancing the equation by focusing on the number of sulfate groups rather than individual oxygen atoms.

  • How many iron atoms are there on each side of the balanced equation?

    -There are two iron atoms on each side of the balanced equation, as the script mentions that the iron atoms do not need to be adjusted.

  • How many water molecules are needed to balance the oxygen atoms that are not part of the sulfate group?

    -Three water molecules are needed to balance the oxygen atoms that are not part of the sulfate group, as each water molecule contains one oxygen atom.

  • How many molecules of sulfuric acid are required to balance the hydrogen atoms in the equation?

    -Three molecules of sulfuric acid are required to balance the hydrogen atoms, as each molecule of sulfuric acid contains two hydrogen atoms, resulting in a total of six hydrogen atoms on the product side.

  • What is the final balanced equation according to the script?

    -The final balanced equation, after substituting back and simplifying, is one molecule of ferric oxide reacting with three molecules of sulfuric acid to yield one molecule of ferric sulfate and three molecules of water.

  • What insight does the script provide about balancing chemical equations involving complex groups like sulfate?

    -The script provides the insight that complex groups like sulfate can be treated as single entities during the balancing process, which can simplify the equation and make it easier to balance by focusing on the overall groups rather than individual atoms.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ”¬ Balancing a Chemical Equation with Sulfate Groups

The video script begins with a voiceover introducing a chemical reaction involving ferric oxide and sulfuric acid, resulting in ferric sulfate and water. The speaker encourages viewers to pause and attempt to balance the equation themselves. The challenge in balancing the equation is highlighted due to the presence of the sulfate group, which complicates the oxygen count. To simplify the process, the script suggests treating the sulfate group as a single entity and rewriting the equation with a substitution, where 'x' represents a sulfate group. This approach helps to balance the equation by focusing on the elements outside the sulfate groups and then ensuring an equal number of sulfate groups on both sides of the equation.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Chemical Reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that transforms one set of chemical substances into another. In the video, the focus is on the reaction between iron oxide and sulfuric acid to produce ferric sulfate and water. This concept is central to the video's theme of balancing chemical equations.
πŸ’‘Reactant
Reactants are the initial substances present in a chemical reaction. In the script, iron oxide and sulfuric acid are the reactants, which interact to form new products, emphasizing the foundational role of reactants in chemical processes.
πŸ’‘Ferric Oxide
Ferric oxide, also known as iron(III) oxide, is a chemical compound with the formula Fe2O3. It is the substance reacting in the video's chemical equation, illustrating the specific type of reactant involved in the reaction.
πŸ’‘Sulfuric Acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula H2SO4. It is one of the reactants in the video, highlighting the importance of acids in chemical reactions and their role in producing salts and water.
πŸ’‘Ferric Sulfate
Ferric sulfate is a type of salt formed from the reaction of iron with sulfuric acid. In the video, it is one of the products, demonstrating the outcome of the chemical reaction and the transformation of reactants into products.
πŸ’‘Balancing Chemical Equations
Balancing chemical equations is the process of ensuring that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. The video's main theme revolves around this process, showing how to achieve balance in the given reaction.
πŸ’‘Sulfate Group
The sulfate group is a polyatomic ion with the formula SO4^2-. In the script, the sulfate group is part of the sulfuric acid and ferric sulfate, complicating the balancing process. The video discusses strategies to handle this group in chemical equations.
πŸ’‘Substitution
In the context of the video, substitution refers to the method of replacing a complex group in a chemical formula with a single variable (x) to simplify the balancing process. This technique is used to manage the complexity introduced by the sulfate groups.
πŸ’‘Oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element that is often involved in chemical reactions. In the script, oxygen atoms are present in both reactants and products, and their correct balancing is crucial for the equation's correctness.
πŸ’‘Hydrogen
Hydrogen is another chemical element that plays a role in the video's reaction. Hydrogen atoms from sulfuric acid contribute to the formation of water, and their balance is necessary for the equation's equilibrium.
πŸ’‘Coefficient
In chemistry, a coefficient is a number placed before a chemical formula to indicate the number of molecules or atoms in a chemical equation. The video discusses changing coefficients to balance the equation, such as increasing sulfuric acid molecules to match hydrogen atoms.
Highlights

Introduction to balancing a chemical equation involving iron oxide and sulfuric acid.

Encouragement for viewers to pause and attempt to balance the equation themselves.

Explanation of the common difficulty in balancing due to the sulfate group's complexity.

Introduction of a strategy to simplify balancing by treating the sulfate group as a single entity.

Rewriting of the chemical equation with a substitution to aid understanding.

Balancing the iron atoms on both sides of the equation.

Adjusting the number of oxygen atoms by introducing water molecules.

Balancing the hydrogen atoms by adjusting the number of sulfuric acid molecules.

Ensuring the balance of sulfate groups on both sides of the equation.

Un-substituting the sulfate group to reveal the balanced chemical equation.

Final balanced equation presented with ferric oxide, sulfuric acid, ferric sulfate, and water.

Explanation of the coefficients' adjustments in the balanced equation.

Emphasis on the importance of balancing all elements, including those within the sulfate group.

Highlight of the method's effectiveness in simplifying the balancing of complex chemical equations.

The practical application of the method in educational settings to teach chemical equation balancing.

The potential for this method to be applied to other complex chemical equations involving polyatomic ions.

Conclusion summarizing the successful balance of the chemical equation using the substitution method.

Transcripts
Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Thanks for rating: