What are the coefficients that will balance the skeleton equation below?

Question

__ NO -> __ N2 + __O2
Responses

2, 1, 2
2, 1, 2

Reaction is Balanced
Reaction is Balanced

2, 1, 1
2, 1, 1

1, 1, 2

Answer 1

To balance the skeleton equation \( \text{NO} \rightarrow \text{N}_2 + \text{O}_2 \), we need to ensure that the number of each type of atom on the reactant side equals the number on the product side.

1. Counting atoms in the unbalanced equation:

   • Reactants:
     • 1 Nitrogen (N) from NO
     • 1 Oxygen (O) from NO
   • Products:
     • 2 Nitrogens (N) from N₂
     • 2 Oxygens (O) from O₂

2. Balancing Nitrogen: To balance Nitrogen, we put a coefficient of 2 in front of NO: \[ 2 \text{NO} \rightarrow \text{N}_2 + \text{O}_2 \]

3. Counting atoms again:

   • Reactants:
     • 2 Nitrogens (N)
     • 2 Oxygens (O)
   • Products:
     • 2 Nitrogens (N)
     • 2 Oxygens (O)

4. Final balanced equation: \[ 2 \text{NO} \rightarrow 1 \text{N}_2 + 1 \text{O}_2 \]

Thus, the coefficients that balance the equation are 2, 1, 1.

So the correct response is: 2, 1, 1.