Question

(a) Consider the following chemical reaction in acidic aqueous solution:

?MnO4- + ?H2O2+cH+ → ?Mn2++?O2+?H2O

Write down (but do not solve) equations that we could use to balance this reaction by Gaussian elimination. Specify what is being “conserved” in front of each equation.

(b) Suppose we let ? = 1. Could the reaction then be balanced with exactly one set of numbers ?, ?, ?, ?, ?? (Y/N)

Answer 1

chemical reaction in acidic aqueous solution:

?MnO4- + ?H2O2+cH+ → ?Mn2++?O2+?H2O

Balance this reaction by Gaussian elimination

put

a=1 , b=1 , c= 2, d=1, e= 1, d= 4

1MnO4- + 1H2O2 + 2H+ → 1Mn2+ + 1O2 + 4H2O

some more sets are (2,2,4,2,2,8) , (3,3,6,3,3,12)

now this equation is balanced

b. If we let ? = 1. then the reaction will be balanced with exactly one set of numbers ?, ?, ?, ?, ? . we can choose the set (b, c, d, e, f ) as (1,2,1,1,4 ) now the equation is balanced.