Here is another!

Question

1. Write the unbalanced chemical equation on a piece of paper. 
2. Draw the particulate representation to help you balance the overall equation. 
3. Insert your drawing in the green box.
4. Write the correct coefficients in the green spaces below.

       ____ H3PO4 + ____ LiOH → ____ Li3PO4 + ____ H2O

Answer 1

Hello, Joseph,

It's not easy to write a "particulate representation" with my computer, and I'm not entirely sure what is requested. I suspect it would involve adding "dots" for the different elements/atoms as they present in the reaction mixture. For 1 molecule each of the H3)O4 and LiOH, you would have:

H

H

H

P

O

O

O

O

Li

O

H

Then connect where each element goes into the products. They all need to find a home, and there need to be enough atoms to make all the products.

The idea would be that you can use arrows to show where each of these atoms winds up. In fact, however, this would become very busy because, as you will see, some of these molecules need to be duplicated to get the balanced equation. Follow whatever the instructor used as an example in drawing the particulate representation.

Balancing the equation is a little tricky. But start with the most complex compound and assign it a coefficient of 1. We need whole numbers(compounds), so start with the one that has the most complexity. I chose the lithium phosphate. One molecule of Li₃PO₄ requires 3 lithiums, one phosphorus and 4 oxygen atoms. The only place we get lithium is the LiOH, so assign it a coefficient of 3. We need one phosphorus atom, so assign a 1 to the phosphoric acid. Continue going back and forth and keep track of how many atoms of each element are coming in with the reactants and going out with the products. Those numbers need to be the same. Use a pencil! There is a fair amount of guessing at first, so some of the initial coefficients may change in this process.

I find the following coefficients:

1 H3PO4 + 3LiOH = 1 Li3PO4 + 3 H2O

Make sure the oxygen and hydrogen atoms are the same on both sides. I just eyeballed this, so please double check that all the elements are balanced.

Bob