In a reaction involving hydrogen and chlorine, it becomes necessary to balance the subsequent equation to describe the manner in which the two elements react with each other. Indeed, this is true about any chemical reaction. You must understand that balancing the equation becomes necessary to comply with the fundamental principle on which all chemical reactions are based – during such a reaction, nothing extra is created and nothing is destroyed. This is, in layman's terms, what the law of conservation of mass translates to – the amount of matter involved in the formative process as well as the finished product remains the same. This means that the number of molecules before and after the reaction always remain the same in total.
Since the reaction between hydrogen and chlorine involves two atoms of each element, the resultant compound must also have two molecules of the same. Such an equation would provide the right balance and therefore be in compliance with the principle stated above. Therefore the balanced chemical equation between hydrogen and chlorine would be: H2 + Cl2 = 2HCl.
Since the reaction between hydrogen and chlorine involves two atoms of each element, the resultant compound must also have two molecules of the same. Such an equation would provide the right balance and therefore be in compliance with the principle stated above. Therefore the balanced chemical equation between hydrogen and chlorine would be: H2 + Cl2 = 2HCl.
