S8 + Rb = Rb2S

rhombic sulfur + rubidium ⟶ Rb2S

Balance the chemical equation algebraically: + ⟶ Rb2S Add stoichiometric coefficients, c_i, to the reactants and products: c_1 + c_2 ⟶ c_3 Rb2S Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for S and Rb: S: | 8 c_1 = c_3 Rb: | c_2 = 2 c_3 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 = 16 c_3 = 8 Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation: Answer: | | + 16 ⟶ 8 Rb2S

+ ⟶ Rb2S

rhombic sulfur + rubidium ⟶ Rb2S

| rhombic sulfur | rubidium | Rb2S formula | | | Rb2S Hill formula | S_8 | Rb | Rb2S name | rhombic sulfur | rubidium | IUPAC name | octathiocane | rubidium |

| rhombic sulfur | rubidium | Rb2S molar mass | 256.5 g/mol | 85.4678 g/mol | 203 g/mol phase | solid (at STP) | solid (at STP) | melting point | | 38.5 °C | boiling point | | 686 °C | density | 2.07 g/cm^3 | 1.53 g/cm^3 | solubility in water | | reacts |