Journal of Advanced Chemical Engineering

Exploring Stoichiometric Equations: Concepts and Applications

Hamza Abad^* Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Michigan, United States of America
^*Correspondence: Hamza Abad, Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Michigan, United States of America, Email:

Received: 03-Apr-2023, Manuscript No. ACE-23-21254; Editor assigned: 06-Apr-2023, Pre QC No. ACE-23-21254 (PQ); Reviewed: 20-Apr-2023, QC No. ACE-23-21254; Revised: 27-Apr-2023, Manuscript No. ACE-23-21254 (R); Published: 05-May-2023, DOI: 10.35248/2090-4568.23.13.284

Description

Stoichiometric equations are a fundamental concept in chemistry that helps us understand how different substances interact with each other during a chemical reaction. These equations are mathematical representations of the reactants and products in a chemical reaction, showing the relative quantities of each substance involved.

In this paper, we will explore stoichiometric equations in detail, including what they are, how to write them, and how they are used in chemical calculations. Stoichiometric equations are balanced chemical equations that describe the reactants and products of a chemical reaction. These equations show the relative amounts of each substance involved in the reaction, in terms of their respective moles.

The number of atoms in each reactant and product of a chemical equation must match in order for the equation to be considered balanced. This is supported by the law of conservation of mass, which says that in a chemical process, matter can only be rearranged and cannot be generated or destroyed.

For example, consider the following reaction between hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to form water:

2 H₂(g) + O₂(g) → 2 H₂O(l)

This equation shows that two molecules of hydrogen gas react with one molecule of oxygen gas to form two molecules of liquid water. It is balanced because the number of hydrogen and oxygen atoms is the same on both sides of the equation.

To write a stoichiometric equation, we need to know the chemical formulas of the reactants and products involved in the reaction. These formulas are often represented by symbols, such as H for hydrogen, O for oxygen, and Na for sodium.

Once we know the chemical formulas, we can write the equation by placing the reactants on the left-hand side of the arrow and the products on the right-hand side. Then, we need to balance the equation by adjusting the coefficients in front of each substance until the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides.

To balance a stoichiometric équation, follow these steps

• Write the unbalanced equation

• Identify the elements involved in the reaction and count the number of atoms of each element on each side of the equation

• Choose an element to balance first, and adjust the coefficients of the substances containing that element to make the number of atoms of that element equal on both sides

• Repeat step 3 for the remaining elements until the equation is balanced

• Double-check the equation to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides

For example, let's consider the reaction between iron (III) oxide and carbon monoxide to produce iron and carbon dioxide:

Fe₂O₃(s) + CO(g) → Fe(s) + CO₂(g)

This equation is unbalanced, so we need to balance it by adjusting the coefficients in front of each substance.

• Write the unbalanced equation: Fe₂O₃(s) + CO(g) → Fe(s) + CO₂(g)

• Count the number of atoms of each element on each side of the equation: Fe: 2 on the left, 1 on the right O: 3 on the left, 2 on the right C: 1 on the left, 1 on the right

• Choose an element to balance first. Let's start with iron. We need to increase the number of iron atoms on the right-hand side to match the left-hand side, so we can add a coefficient of 2 in front of Fe: Fe₂O₃(s) + CO(g) → 2Fe(s) + CO₂(g)

• Now let's balance the oxygen. We have 3 oxygen atoms on the left and we have 2 oxygen atoms on the right. To balance the oxygen, we can add a coefficient of 3 in front of CO₂: Fe₂O₃(s) + CO(g) → 2Fe(s) + 3CO₂(g)

Finally, let's balance the carbon. We have 1 carbon atom on the left and 3 carbon atoms on the right. To balance the carbon, we can add a coefficient of 3 in front of CO: Fe₂O₃(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(s) + 3CO₂(g)

Now the equation is balanced, with equal numbers of atoms for each element on both sides. The balanced equation is: Fe₂O₃(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(s) + 3CO₂(g)