Chemical Equations for Multireaction Systems

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 4 Issue 1 (1999) pp 3-5

Chemical Equations for Multireaction Systems

E. Weltin

Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington VT 05405

Published online: 1 February 1999

Abstract. While the balanced chemical equations for a multireaction system are generally not unique, the minimum number of independent equations, R, is a characteristic property of the system. Deleting one nonspectator species from the system leads to a system with R reduced by one. In this way each system can be reduced to a single-reaction system and ultimately to a no-reaction system. The least number of chemical species that can be deleted to obtain a no- reaction system equals R. Every multireaction system, therefore, can be reduced to a number of single-reaction equations, which can be balanced by any one of the standard techniques. Some examples are given where balancing by inspection is employed.

Key Words: In the Classroom; stoichiometry; multireaction systems; balanced equations; chemical equations; canonical chemical equations

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: eweltin@zoo.uvm.edu)

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