Question

Calcium carbide reacts with water to give ethyne or acetylene gas and calcium hydroxide. Write the balanced chemical equation for this reaction.

Answer 1

The skeleton equation is
`CaC_(2) (s) + H_(2) O (l) rarr HC -= CH (g) + Ca (OH)_(2) (s)`
a. Order of selection of atoms for balancing is `O, H`,and `C`.
The number of `O` atoms on `RHS` is 2, and one `O` atom on `LHS`. So multiply `H_(2) O` with 2.
`CaC_(2) (s) +2 H_(2) O (l) 0gt HC -= CH (g) + Ca (OH)_(2) (s)`
It is a balanced chemical or atomic equation.