Variable Balancing

[rktpro]

[ce] 6CO2 + 7H2O -> C6H12O6 +6O2 + H2O[/ce]

 

[ce] 6CO2 + 12H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O [/ce]

 

The first one is balanced by me and the second one is given in the book. Both seem correct, but is it possible to have variable balance when one balancing is not a factor of other, as in this case.

[Fuzzwood]

You can scratch the same amounts of water molecules to the left and right, leaving you with only 6 on the left side.

[rktpro]

You can scratch the same amounts of water molecules to the left and right, leaving you with only 6 on the left side.

 

I couldn't get you.

[CaptainPanic]

What Fuzzwood meant is: in the bottom reaction, you can remove 6 water from the left, and 6 from the right. Or, if you like you can remove only one H2O. Or two H2Os. Or three, or four, or five... up to a maximum of 6.

 

[ce] 6CO2 + 12H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O [/ce]

[ce] 6CO2 + 11H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 5H2O [/ce]

[ce] 6CO2 + 10H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 4H2O [/ce]

[ce] 6CO2 + 9H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 3H2O [/ce]

[ce] 6CO2 + 8H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 2H2O [/ce]

[ce] 6CO2 + 7H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 1H2O [/ce]

[ce] 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2[/ce]

 

In fact, if you want to add three million water (or any other number) to both sides, it still balances:

 

[ce] 6CO2 + 3000006H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 3000000H2O [/ce]

 

The most common way to describe photosynthesis though is this:

 

[ce] 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2[/ce]

 

It is the most simple one, because the waters have been reduced to the net change.

Edited May 13, 2011 by CaptainPanic

[rktpro]

CaptainPanic, Then this is possible for all other equations. Thanks.

[CaptainPanic]

You're right. You can always, in any equation (not just chemical, also mathematical) add stuff on both sides of the equation, although in many cases it will only make things more complicated or confusing. Very often, chemical reactions are simplified into their simplest form (remove the molecules from both sides as much as possible).