Answer:
CO₂ + H₂O ⟶ H₂CO₃
Explanation:
1. Complete the unbalanced equation
CO₂ + H₂O ⟶ H₂CO₃
2. Put a 1 in front of the most complicated-looking formula (H₂CO₃):
CO₂ + H₂O ⟶ 1H₂CO₃
3. Balance all atoms other than H and O
Balance C
We have fixed 1 C on the right. We need 1 C on the left. Put a 1 in front of CO₂.
1CO₂ + H₂O ⟶ 1H₂CO₃
4. Balance O:
We have fixed 3 O on the right. We need 3 O on the left. We have fixed 2 O in the CO₂. We must fix one ore O on the left. Put a 1 in front of H₂O.
1CO₂ + 1H₂O ⟶ 1H₂CO₃
Every formula now has a coefficient. The equation should be balanced.
Atom On the left On the right
C 1 1
H 2 2
O 3 3
The balanced equation is
CO₂ + H₂O ⟶ H₂CO₃
There are the same numbers of each type of atom on each side of the equation, so the Law of Conservation of Mass is obeyed.