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Helpful hints for balancing chemical equations. Balance hydrogens second to last Balance oxygens last Check for lowest ratio Coefficients must be whole numbers Don’t break up your compounds with coefficients NaCl cannot become Na6Cl Do not change your subscripts
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Helpful hints for balancing chemical equations • Balance hydrogens second to last • Balance oxygens last • Check for lowest ratio • Coefficients must be whole numbers • Don’t break up your compounds with coefficients • NaCl cannot become Na6Cl • Do not change your subscripts • Balance the polyatomic ions as one unit (if it didn’t break apart) • Perform a final check
Balance the following • C2H6 + O2 --> CO2 + H2O • Na3PO4 + Mg(NO3)2 --> NaNO3 + Mg3(PO4)2