Question

One method of producing hydrogen peroxide is to add barium peroxide to water. A precipitate of barium oxide forms, which may then be filtered off to leave a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Write the balanced chemical equation for this process.

Short answer

The balanced chemical equation for the reaction of barium peroxide with water to produce barium oxide and hydrogen peroxide is: \(BaO_2 + 2 H_2O \rightarrow BaO + 2 H_2O_2\).

Step-by-step solution

Write the unbalanced chemical equation

Begin by writing the reactants and the products in the form of a chemical equation. Barium peroxide is BaO2, water is H2O, barium oxide is BaO, and hydrogen peroxide is H2O2. The unbalanced chemical equation will be: BaO2 + H2O -> BaO + H2O2

Balance the chemical equation

To balance the equation, we need to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is equal on both the reactants (left) and products (right) sides of the chemical reaction. To do so, we will compare the number of atoms of each element on both sides and add coefficients when needed in order to balance the equation. - For Barium (Ba) atoms, we have 1 on both sides, so it's already balanced. - For Oxygen (O) atoms, we have 2 on the left side (1 BaO2) and 3 on the right side (1 BaO + 1 H2O2). We may balance this by placing a coefficient of 2 in front of H2O to indicate that 2 water molecules are needed for the reaction, resulting in an additional oxygen atom. The equation will now be: BaO2 + 2 H2O -> BaO + H2O2 - Now we balance Hydrogen (H) atoms: on the left side we now have 4 Hydrogen atoms (2 H2O), and on the right side we have 2 (1 H2O2). We may balance this by placing a coefficient of 2 in front of H2O2 to indicate that 2 hydrogen peroxide molecules are produced. The equation now becomes: BaO2 + 2 H2O -> BaO + 2 H2O2 With this, our chemical equation is balanced.

Key concepts

Chemical Reactions

Understanding chemical reactions is crucial for students as it forms the foundation of chemistry. A chemical reaction involves the transformation of one or more substances into new substances. This process entails the breaking and forming of chemical bonds among atoms. Substances that undergo chemical change are called reactants, and the new substances produced are the products. The transformation follows the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This principle is fundamental when balancing chemical equations, as the mass of the reactants must equal the mass of the products.

In the given exercise, barium peroxide reacts with water to produce barium oxide and hydrogen peroxide. The chemical equation is symbolic representation of this process. It's necessary for students to visualize the reactants and products at a molecular level to grasp the exchange of atoms and the conservation of mass during the reaction. By counting the atoms of each element on either side of the equation and making sure they are equal, students can successfully balance the equation, ensuring the law of conservation of mass is upheld.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is an essential concept in chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It involves calculations based on the balanced chemical equation to determine the relative amounts of substances required or produced. The term 'stoichiometry' comes from the Greek words 'stoicheion' (element) and 'metron' (measure), which literally means the measure of elements.

To perform stoichiometric calculations, students must first ensure that the chemical equation is balanced, as shown in the provided textbook solution. Each number (coefficient) placed before a compound's formula indicates the amount (in moles) of that substance involved in the reaction. For instance, the '2' in front of H2O and H2O2 implies that for every mole of barium peroxide, two moles of water react to yield two moles of hydrogen peroxide. These coefficients are the bridge between the atomic scale and practical measurements and are pivotal to tasks like designing industrial processes, preparing laboratory reagents, and predicting the yield of reactions.

Hydrogen Peroxide Production

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a versatile chemical with applications ranging from disinfection to bleaching. The production of hydrogen peroxide can be explored in various ways, and one of the methods is the reaction between barium peroxide and water, as shown in the exercise.

In the presence of water, barium peroxide (BaO2) reacts to form barium oxide (BaO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This method captures a fundamental application of the stoichiometry concept, where the balanced chemical equation informs us about the proportion of reactants needed to generate a specific quantity of hydrogen peroxide. The production process is usually followed by a filtration step to remove the insoluble barium oxide, leaving behind an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide. This process's efficiency and yield are impacted by factors like temperature, concentration, and purity of the reactants. Understanding each element's role in the reaction allows students to grasp the practical implications of the theoretical principles of chemical reactions and stoichiometry in real-world applications like the synthesis of chemicals.