Which of the following is the balanced chemical equation for the hydrolysis of antimony trichloride (SbCl3)?

• A. SbCl3 + 2H2O → Sb(OH)3 + 2HCl
• B. SbCl3 + 3H2O → Sb(OH)3 + 3HCl
• C. SbCl3 + 4H2O → Sb(OH)3 + 4HCl
• D. SbCl3 + H2O → Sb(OH)3 + HCl

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the reactants and products in the chemical reaction. The reactants are antimony trichloride (SbCl3) and water (H2O), and the products are antimony hydroxide (Sb(OH)3) and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
2. Write the unbalanced chemical equation: SbCl3 + H2O → Sb(OH)3 + HCl.
3. Count the number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. Initially, you have 1 Sb, 3 Cl, and 1 O on the left, and 1 Sb, 3 O, and 1 Cl on the right.
4. Balance the chlorine atoms by ensuring the number of Cl atoms on both sides is equal. Since there are 3 Cl atoms in SbCl3, you need 3 HCl molecules on the right side: SbCl3 + H2O → Sb(OH)3 + 3HCl.
5. Balance the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. You need 3 water molecules to provide 3 oxygen atoms for Sb(OH)3 and 6 hydrogen atoms to balance with 3 HCl molecules: SbCl3 + 3H2O → Sb(OH)3 + 3HCl.