Question

balance the equation

potassium nitrate --> potassium nitrite + oxygen

KNO3 ---> KNO2 + O2

(3 and 2 written down)

Answer 1

2KNO3 ---›2KNO2 + O2

Answer 2

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Given :



$\mathsf{KNO_3}$ $\rightarrow$ $\mathsf{KNO_2 + O_2}$



Balancing of an equation is to be done so that the total mass of the elements present in the products of a chemical reaction is equal to the total mass of the elements present in the reactants.




The correct balanced chemical equation is -

$\mathsf{2KNO_3}$ $\rightarrow$ $\mathsf{2KNO_2 \ +}$ $\mathsf{O_2}$




This method of balancing chemical equations is called hit-and-trial method as we make trials to balance the equation by using the smallest whole number coefficient.




This equation can also be balanced in another way , i.e. , -




$\mathsf{KNO_3}$ $\rightarrow$ $\mathsf{KNO_2 \ +}$ $\mathsf{{\dfrac{1}{2}}O_2}$




But in this equation, we use $\mathsf{\dfrac{1}{2}}$ to balance the equation.




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