What is the sum of the coefficients when the following equation is balanced using the lowest whole-numbered coefficients? ________ PH₃(g)+ ________ O₂(g)→ ________ P₄O₁₀(s)+ ________ H₂O(g) A)10 B)12 C)19 D)22

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To balance the equation, you need to add coefficients to each element such that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the left and right sides of the arrow. The balanced equation is: 1 PH₃(g) + 5 O₂(g) → 1 P₄O₁₀(s) + 6 H₂O(g) The sum of coefficients is 1+5+1+6 = 13, which is not one of the answer choices. However, if you add up just the coefficients for the reactants (1+5), you get 6. Therefore, the best answer choice is C (19).

What Is the Sum of the Coefficients When the Following