Question

What are the coefficients for the following reaction when it is properly balanced?

_HCl + _Mg = _MgCl₂ + _H₂

a. 2 1 1 1
b. 2 1 2 2
c. 1 2 1 1
d. 1 1 1 2

Answer 1

The coefficients for the balanced reaction are 2 1 2 2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The coefficients for the balanced reaction are:

HCl + Mg = MgCl₂ + H₂

a. 2 1 1 1

b. 2 1 2 2

c. 1 2 1 1

d. 1 1 1 2

The correct answer is b. 2 1 2 2. This means that 2 molecules of hydrochloric acid (HCl) react with 1 molecule of magnesium (Mg) to produce 2 molecules of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) and 2 molecules of hydrogen gas (H₂).