The incandescent white of a fireworks display is caused by the reaction of phosphorous with $O_{2}$ $O_2$ to give $P_{4} O_{10}$ $P_4O_10$ . What is the balanced chemical equation for the reaction?

Question

5647 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2017-08-21T14:51:23

$4 P + 5 O_{2} \to P_{4} O_{10}$ $4P+5O_2rarrP_4O_10$

Note that phosphorous is $P$ $P$ .
$therefore P+O_2rarrP_4O_10$

We have 1 P on the LHS, and 4 on the RHS.
We have 2 O on the LHS, and 10 on the RHS.

We cannot balance a chemical equation by adding, subtracting or dividing atoms, the only way to balance is by multiplication.

Let's multiply the LHS by $5$ to balance the oxygen.

$P+5O_2rarrP_4O_10$

Now let's multiply the phosphorus on the LHS by $4$ .

$4P+5O_2rarrP_4O_10$

The incandescent white of a fireworks display is caused by the reaction of phosphorous with O_2O2O_2 to give P_4O_10P4O10P_4O_10. What is the balanced chemical equation for the reaction?