Question

Elemental boron is produced by reduction of boron oxide with magnesium to give boron and magnesium oxide. Write a balanced equation for this reaction.

Short answer

The balanced equation:${\text{B}}_2{\text{O}}_3\left(s\right)+3\text{Mg}\left(s\right)\to 2\text{B}\left(s\right)+3\text{MgO}\left(s\right)$

Step-by-step solution

Definition of reaction

A chemical reaction occurs when one or more compounds i.e; reactants, are changed into one or more distinct substances, known as i.e;products.

Write balanced equation

The reduction of boric oxide (boron trioxide) with metals like magnesium or aluminium is one method of producing elemental boron.

Write the imbalanced reaction of boron trioxide and magnesium oxide, which produces boron and magnesium oxide, first.

Below is an example of an imbalanced response.

${\text{B}}_2{\text{O}}_3\left(s\right)+\text{Mg}\left(s\right)\to \text{B}\left(s\right)+\text{MgO}\left(s\right)$

Subscripts and coefficients are the two sorts of numbers that appear in chemical equations.

Subscripts are an integral element of the formulae and cannot be modified. The coefficients represent the number of each substance involved in the reaction, and they can be modified to make the equation balanced.

As a result, change the coefficients such that each element has the same amount of atoms on both sides.

There are two boron atoms on the left side and just one on the right.

As a result, elemental boron has a coefficient of 2 in front of it.

There are three oxygen atoms on the left side and just one on the right.

Hence, the coefficient 3 in front of $\mathrm{MgO}$.

Finally, put a coefficient 3 in front of elemental magnesium on the left side to equalise the quantity of magnesium atoms.

${\text{B}}_2{\text{O}}_3\left(s\right)+3\text{Mg}\left(s\right)\to 2\text{B}\left(s\right)+3\text{MgO}\left(s\right)$