One version of the “inspection” method that we will use in this section can be called the “ odd-even” approach. These methods are generally useful for most simple chemical equations, although mathematical algorithms are often necessary for highly complex reactions. The simplest methods, where you examine and modify coefficients in some systematic order, is generally called “balancing by inspection”. There are many different strategies that people use in order to balance chemical equations. In this equation, there are two sodiums in the reactants, two sodiums in the products, two chlorines in the reactants and two chlorines in the products the equation is now balanced. To resolve this, we need to place the coefficient “2” in front of the sodium in the reactant, to give the equation shown below. Now we are balanced for chlorine, but there are two atoms of sodium in the products and only one shown in the reactants. In order to accomplish this, we place the coefficient “2” in front of the product, NaCl. Because chlorine is diatomic, there are two chlorines in the reactants and there must also be two chlorines in the products. ![]() In order to balance this equation, we must insert coefficients (not subscripts) in front of the appropriate reactants or products so that the same number and types of atoms appear on both sides of the equation. This equation is not balanced, and is therefore not a valid chemical equation. Inspection of this equation, however, shows that, while there is one sodium atom on each side of the arrow, there are two chlorine atoms in the reactants and only one in the products. ![]() An equation describing this process is shown below. In another example of a chemical reaction, sodium metal reacts with chlorine gas to form solid sodium chloride.
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