When the equation below is balanced,the coefficient of sodium cyanide is:
NaCN + H₂SO₄ → Na₂SO₄ + HCN

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In order for the equation to be balanced, we need to have the same number of each type of atom on both the reactant and product sides. Starting with NaCN, we have 1 Na, 1 C, and 1 N. On the product side, we have 2 Na (since Na₂SO₄ has 2 Na atoms), 1 S, 4 O (since SO₄ has 4 O atoms), and 1 H and 1 C in HCN. To balance the equation, we need to add a coefficient of 2 in front of NaCN to have 2 Na atoms on the reactant side, and it will give us a balanced equation. Therefore, the coefficient of sodium cyanide is 2.

When the Equation Below Is Balanced,the Coefficient of Sodium Cyanide