If You Get Stuck Balancing Equations…

 

Ex:  ___ Li3N  +___  H2O  à___  Li+1  +___ OH-1  +___ NH3

 

 

 

 

Assign letters to each of the coefficients

 

__A__ Li3N  +__B__  HOH  à__C__  Li+1  +__D__ OH-1  +__E__ NH3

 

 

 

Make a grid of all ions involved and their subscript multiplier

 

Li         3A  +  0  =  C  +  0  +  0

 

N         A  +  0  =  0  +  0  +  E

 

H         0  +  B  =  0  +  0  +  3E

 

OH      0  +  B  =  0  +  D  +  0

 

 

 

 

Set A=1, and solve for coefficients so

 

3(1) =C

1(1) =E

B=3(1)

3=D

 

So coefficients in this case are

 

if A=1 then C=3, E=1, B=3, D=3

 

or

 

____ Li3N  +__3__  H2O  à__ 3 __  Li+1  +__3__ OH-1  +____ NH3