Balancing Chemical Reaction Equations │Please Help!

Question

Magnesium (Mg) reacts with oxygen (O₂) producing magnesium oxide (MgO).

a. Write the skeleton reaction equation (just show reactants and products with the arrow.)

b. Balance the chemical reaction.

c. Classify the type of chemical reaction this is.

Answer 1

Magnesium (Mg) reacts with oxygen (O₂) producing magnesium oxide (MgO).

a. Write the skeleton reaction equation (just show reactants and products with the arrow.)

Mg + O₂ ==> MgO

b. Balance the chemical reaction.

Mg + ½O₂ ==> MgO is a balanced equation

If you're required to all coefficients be integers, then double all coefficients to give

2Mg + O₂ ==> 2MgO which is also a balanced equation

c. Classify the type of chemical reaction this is.

Since Mg is oxidized (Mg⁰ loses 2 electrons to become Mg²⁺)

and O is reduced (O⁰ gains 2 electrons to become O^2–)

I would say the chemical reaction type is redox