Answer to Question #213797 in General Chemistry for Flo

Question

Interpret 2K(s)+2H2O(l)→2KOH(aq)+H2(g) quantitatively.

Answer 1

Stoichiometry, the principle that garbage in equals garbage out, insists that mass is conserved, and the equation necessarily represents this. The equation also illustrates conservation of CHARGE. Potassium metal is OXIDIZED, and water is reduced. And we could represent this by the formalism of redox reaction.