How to balance the equation: Mg(OH)2 + HCl → MgCl2 + H2O?
Step 1: Write the unbalanced equation
Mg(OH)2 + HCl → MgCl2 + H2O
Step 2: Balance the metal atoms
Since there is one magnesium atom on the left and one on the right, this step is already balanced.
Step 3: Balance the non-metal atoms
The left side of the equation contains two hydroxide ions (OH), while the right side contains two chloride ions (Cl). This means that we need to balance the non-metal atoms.
Mg(OH)2 + 2HCl → MgCl2 + 2H2O
Step 4: Check that the equation is balanced
On the left side, there are two hydroxide ions, two hydrogen ions, one magnesium ion and two oxygen atoms. On the right side, there are two chloride ions, two water molecules, one magnesium ion and two oxygen atoms. This means that the equation is now balanced.
Explanation:
The balanced equation represents a neutralization reaction between magnesium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. The reaction forms magnesium chloride and water. Neutralization reactions are a type of chemical reaction where an acid and a base react to form a salt and water. In this case, magnesium hydroxide is a base and hydrochloric acid is an acid. The balanced equation shows that one molecule of magnesium hydroxide reacts with two molecules of hydrochloric acid to form one molecule of magnesium chloride and two molecules of water. This reaction can be used in various applications, including in the production of magnesium chloride as a de-icing agent or in the treatment of wastewater.