Balancing Chemical Equations

Today, I realized one thing I do automaically by instinct that makes balancing chemical equations easier. First, I assess my even number verus the odd ones. In other words if I have a reactant that has an even number of oxygens but the products have oxygen in only water, then it is an even to odd situation. This menas that I must 6 (which is 2 times 3) or 12 (which has 3 times four) or some other even/odd multiplication product. I would put an clear example but Blogger does do allow subscripts. So following is a rough example with "v" used before the number to indicate a subscript.

Unbalanced equation:

NHv3 + Ov2 ---> NO + Hv2O

Note that there are 2 oxygens on the left anf 3 oxygens on the right so there is an even/odd situation. Only one of the products has nitrogen and only one has hydrogen, but they are together without any oxygen in the reactants. I decide to use 12 which gives me the options of 3 times 4 and 6 times 2.

4NHv3 + 5Ov2 ---> 4NO + 6Hv2O

Balanced!