When balancing the following chemical equation, are the charges balanced? Fe^{2+} + MnO_4^- ightarrow Fe^{3+} + Mn^{2+}

• A. The charges are balanced only if water is added to the reactants.
• B. The charges are balanced only if electrons are added to the products.
• C. No, the charges are not balanced; the total charge is different on each side.
• D. Yes, the charges are balanced on both sides of the equation.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the charges on each species in the unbalanced equation: Fe^{2+} has a charge of +2, MnO_4^- has a charge of -1, Fe^{3+} has a charge of +3, and Mn^{2+} has a charge of +2.
2. Calculate the total charge on the reactant side by adding the charges of Fe^{2+} and MnO_4^-: total charge = +2 + (-1) = +1.
3. Calculate the total charge on the product side by adding the charges of Fe^{3+} and Mn^{2+}: total charge = +3 + (+2) = +5.
4. Compare the total charges on both sides: since +1 (reactants) is not equal to +5 (products), the charges are not balanced as written.
5. To balance the charges, electrons (which have a charge of -1 each) must be added to one side of the equation, typically to the side with the higher positive charge, to make the total charges equal on both sides.