nitrous oxide (n2o), also known as laughing gas, is used as an anesthetic. it decomposes at high…

nitrous oxide (n2o), also known as laughing gas, is used as an anesthetic. it decomposes at high temperatures to form nitrogen gas (n2) and oxygen gas (o2). which chemical equation accurately represents this reaction? n2o (g)→n2 (g)+o2 (g) 2n2o (g)→n2 (g)+2o2 (g) 2n2o (g)→2n2 (g)+o2 (g) 2n2o (g)→n2 (g)+o2 (g)
Answer
Answer:
2N₂O (g) → 2N₂ (g) + O₂ (g)
Explanation:
Step1: Balance nitrogen atoms
In N₂O, there are 2 nitrogen atoms per molecule. On the product - side, in N₂, there are 2 nitrogen atoms per molecule. To balance nitrogen, we need 2 moles of N₂O to get 2 moles of N₂. 2N₂O (g) → 2N₂ (g) + O₂ (g)
Step2: Balance oxygen atoms
2 moles of N₂O have 2 oxygen atoms. And on the product - side, 1 mole of O₂ has 2 oxygen atoms. So the equation 2N₂O (g) → 2N₂ (g) + O₂ (g) is balanced for both nitrogen and oxygen atoms.