H2SO4 + Fe = H2 + FeSO4

H_2SO_4 (sulfuric acid) + Fe (iron) ⟶ H_2 (hydrogen) + FeSO_4 (duretter)

Balance the chemical equation algebraically: H_2SO_4 + Fe ⟶ H_2 + FeSO_4 Add stoichiometric coefficients, c_i, to the reactants and products: c_1 H_2SO_4 + c_2 Fe ⟶ c_3 H_2 + c_4 FeSO_4 Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for H, O, S and Fe: H: | 2 c_1 = 2 c_3 O: | 4 c_1 = 4 c_4 S: | c_1 = c_4 Fe: | c_2 = c_4 Since the coefficients are relative quantities and underdetermined, choose a coefficient to set arbitrarily. To keep the coefficients small, the arbitrary value is ordinarily one. For instance, set c_1 = 1 and solve the system of equations for the remaining coefficients: c_1 = 1 c_2 = 1 c_3 = 1 c_4 = 1 Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation: Answer: | | H_2SO_4 + Fe ⟶ H_2 + FeSO_4