Question

How do you write the balanced chemical equation for the addition of aqueous potassium fluoride to aqueous copper(II) sulfate? please explain this as a step by step process.

Answer 1

Convert names to chemical formulas.
KF(aq) + CuSO4(aq) ==> copper(II) fluoride + potassium sulfate.

KF(aq) + CuSO4(aq) ==> CuF2 + K2SO4

Then by trial and error balance.(remember to balance you may change ONLY the coefficients--you may NOT change the subscripts) The easy way is to look at the right and see you have 2F so make that 2 on the left with
2KF(aq) + CuSO4(aq) ==> CuF2 + K2SO4

I think that does it but ALWAYS check the final to see it is right. You will ALWAYS know if you are right or not.
I see 2 K on the left and 2 on the right.
I see 2 F on the left and 2 on the right. I see 1 Cu on left and right and one SO4 on the left and right. So the equation is balanced.