How do you write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of magnesium solid with sulfuric acid to form hydrogen gas and magnesium sulfate?

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Answer 1 · 2016-12-30T01:35:35

$M g + H_{2} S O_{4} \to M g S O_{4} + H_{2}$ $Mg + H_2SO_4->MgSO_4 +H_2$

Magnesium combined with sulfuric acid produces magnesium sulfate and hydrogen gas.

Reactants:

The symbol for magnesium is $M g$ $Mg$ .

The formula for sulfuric acid is $H_{2} S O_{4}$ $H_2SO_4$

Products:

Magnesium forms a $2 +$ $2+$ ion: $M g^{2 +}$ $Mg^(2+)$

The sulfate ion has a charge of $2 -$ $2-$ : $S O_{4}^{2 -}$ $SO_4^(2-)$

The charges balance and thus the formula for
magnesum sulfate is $M g S O_{4}$ $MgSO_4$

Hydrogen gas is diatomic: $H_{2}$ $H_2$

$M g + H_{2} S O_{4} \to M g S O_{4} + H_{2}$ $Mg + H_2SO_4->MgSO_4 +H_2$

The reaction is balanced as written. Each side has one magnesium atom, two hydrogen atoms and one sulfate ion.