# Constructing a balanced equation for KClO3+H2SO4

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1. Jan 4, 2017

### chemdruid

The problem statement, all variables and given/known data:
This question is about the properties and reactions of the oxides of some elements in their +4 oxidation state. (a) Chlorine dioxide, Cl O2, is an important industrial chemical, used to bleach wood pulp for making paper, and to kill bacteria in water supplies. However, it is unstable and decomposes into its elements as follows. 2Cl O2(g) Cl 2(g) + 2O2(g)

Cl O2 can be made in the laboratory by reacting KCl O3 with concentrated H2SO4. Other products are K2SO4, KCl O4 and H2O. Construct a balanced equation for this reaction. You may find the use of oxidation numbers helpful.Cl O2 can be made in the laboratory by reacting KCl O3 with concentrated H2SO4. Other products are K2SO4, KCl O4 and H2O. Construct a balanced equation for this reaction. You may find the use of oxidation numbers helpful.
2. Relevant equations

3. The attempt at a solution:
3KCl3+3H2SO4=3KHSO4+HClO4+2ClO2+H2O

But the question says K2SO4 and KClO4 are the other products.
Maybe i am getting the question wrong. Also how the oxidation number can be of help in this scenario?

2. Jan 4, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

Question lists both substances to be put on the LHS and substances to be put on the RHS, yet you used some other set of reagents for no apparent reason (I assume KCl3 is an obvious typo).

Have you tried to follow the question to the letter?

Oxidation numbers can help in balancing, I don't think they will be of other use here.

3. Jan 4, 2017

### chemdruid

Thanks Borek , the answer sheet says the balanced equation is:

3KClO3 + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + KClO4 + H2O + 2ClO2

Would appreciate a bit of explanation . thanks

4. Jan 5, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

Sorry, but I am no sure what you want explained. You are told what reacts with what and what the products are - simply plug these substances into the reaction equation and see if you are able to balance it. This is as trivial as a chemistry question can be.

5. Jan 5, 2017

### hilbert2

If you write the equation with unknown coefficients, aKCl+bH2SO4=cKHSO4+dHClO4+eClO2+fH2O, you can form a set of linear equations for the numbers a to f by requiring that there must be an equal number of similar atoms on the left and right side of the reaction equation. For instance, the balance equation for chlorine reads:

$a=d+e$, and the balance equation for oxygen is
$4b=4c+4d+2e+f$.

You will get five equations for six unknown numbers, so you have to decide to set one of the numbers to have a value of 1 to be able to solve the linear system.

6. Jan 5, 2017

### LPH

Whipped this video up quickly. Does this help?

As you can tell by the answers, there are many approaches to this problem.

7. Jan 6, 2017

Thank you .