The reaction arrow is like the balance point on a seesaw and if you want this "seesaw" to be level or balanced, you must have the same numbers and types of all atoms on both sides of the equation.
In this reaction, there are two oxygen atoms on the left side of the reaction arrow but only one oxygen atom on the right side of the reaction arrow.
Multiply the water molecule by 2 to obtain two oxygen atoms on the right side of the reaction arrow. Click on the smiley face to see the result of this multiplication.
JCopyright © August 2000 by Richard C. Banks...all rights reserved.