J.R. S. answered • 10/07/17
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First things first. You MUST use CAPS when writing elements. So, h3po4 is H3PO4 and Li3po4 is Li3PO4, etc. Now to answer your question. The reaction is phosphoric acid (H3PO4) + lithium hydroxide (LiOH). This will be a double displacement/neutralization reaction. It is written as follows:
H3PO4 + 3LiOH ==> Li3PO4 + 3H2O as a BALANCED EQUATION.
There are 3 H's in H3PO4 so it will take 3 OH's from LiOH to make 3 waters, i.e. 3H2O. The 3 in 3H2O is the same 3 from H3PO4. There are 3 hydrogens. Now, it takes 3 LiOH to react with 1 H3PO4. Look at the balanced equation above, and you will see the same number of each atom on both sides of the equation.
J.R. S.
tutor
I'm sorry but I just don't understand your confusion. I wish I did and then I could assist. The number of atoms on the left must equal the number on the right. In the balanced equation under question with regard the hydrogen atoms (H) there are 6 on the left (3 from H3PO4 and 3 from 3LiOH (3Li and 3O and 3 H). There are also 6 hydrogens on the right (in the 3 H2O). To make the 6 waters, (6H2O), you need 12 hydrogens and 6 oxygens. The 6 hydrogens are gotten as follows: 3H's from
H3PO4 and 3H's from the 3OH's in 3LiOH.
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10/10/17
Roger G.
so why does the coefficient in 3lioh go as a subscript and not a coefficient in the product LI3PO4 thanks
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10/13/17
J.R. S.
tutor
Because the COEFFICIENT applies to all of the elements in the compound, and the SUBSCRIPT applies only to the element it follows. So 3 LiOH mean 3 Li+ and 3 OH- ions and the 3 Li+ combine with ONE PO43- to make Li3PO4. If you wrote 3LiPO4 it can't exist because it takes THREE Li ions (+1 charge each) to combine with ONE PO4 ion (-3 charge). Does this make any more sense.
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10/14/17
Roger G.
10/10/17