BALANCING
EQUATIONS
NO2
- Balancing equations made easy
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
Step 1: list all the elements neatly under the arrow
K
N
O
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
K
N
O
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
N
O
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
N
O
1
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
N
O
1
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
O
1
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
O
1
1
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
O
1
1
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
3 O
1
1
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1
1 N 1
3 O 2+2=4
Now add up how many K N and O you have on each side
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
3 O
K and N are fine
BUT
O is not balanced
1
1
4
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
3 O
1
1
4
We need more O on the left hand side
We only want 1 more O
BUT we can only have 1KNO3, or 2KNO3 or 3KNO3
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
KNO3
KNO2 + O2
1 K
1 N
3 O
1
1
4
Lets see what happens if we have 2KNO3 on the left
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
Lets see what happens if we have 2KNO3 on the left
2KNO3
KNO2 + O2
K
N
O
1
1
4
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
Lets see what happens if we have 2KNO3 on the left
2KNO3
KNO2 + O2
2
K
N
O
1
1
4
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
Lets see what happens if we have 2KNO3 on the left
2KNO3
KNO2 + O2
2
2
K
N
O
1
1
4
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
Lets see what happens if we have 2KNO3 on the left
2KNO3
2
2
2x3=6
KNO2 + O2
K
N
O
1
1
4
Here is an equation that needs to be balanced:
Lets see what happens if we have 2KNO3 on the left
2KNO3
KNO2 + O2
2
2
6
K
N
O
1
1
4
OK, that looks like we might be able to balance it up on the RIGHT side now
On the RIGHT we now need
1 extra K, 1 extra N and 2 extra O
Can you see how?
Try 2KNO2 on the right:
2KNO3
2 KNO2 + O2
2
2
6
K
N
O
2KNO3
2 KNO2 + O2
2
2
6
K
N
O
2
2KNO3
2 KNO2 + O2
2
2
6
K
N
O
2
2
2KNO3
2 KNO2 + O2
2
2
6
K
N
O
2
2
2x2+2=6
2KNO3
2KNO2 + O2
2
2
6
K
N
O
2
2
6
That is balanced!!!!!