Is the following chemical equation balanced? 2Na + 2H2O → 2NaOH + H2

• A. Yes, the equation is balanced.
• B. No, there are more oxygen atoms on the product side.
• C. No, there are more hydrogen atoms on the reactant side.
• D. No, there are more sodium atoms on the product side.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify and count the number of atoms of each element on the reactant side of the equation: For 2Na + 2H2O, count sodium (Na), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
2. Identify and count the number of atoms of each element on the product side of the equation: For 2NaOH + H2, count sodium (Na), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
3. Compare the number of atoms of each element on both sides to check if they are equal. The equation is balanced if the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides.
4. Specifically, verify sodium atoms: 2 on reactants and 2 on products; oxygen atoms: 2 on reactants (from 2H2O) and 2 on products (from 2NaOH); hydrogen atoms: 4 on reactants (from 2H2O) and 4 on products (2 from 2NaOH and 2 from H2).
5. Conclude whether the equation is balanced based on the equality of atom counts for all elements.