H2O + Na2SO4 = H2SO4 + NaOH

H_2O water + Na_2SO_4 sodium sulfate ⟶ H_2SO_4 sulfuric acid + NaOH sodium hydroxide

Balance the chemical equation algebraically: H_2O + Na_2SO_4 ⟶ H_2SO_4 + NaOH Add stoichiometric coefficients, c_i, to the reactants and products: c_1 H_2O + c_2 Na_2SO_4 ⟶ c_3 H_2SO_4 + c_4 NaOH Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for H, O, Na and S: H: | 2 c_1 = 2 c_3 + c_4 O: | c_1 + 4 c_2 = 4 c_3 + c_4 Na: | 2 c_2 = c_4 S: | c_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_2 = 1 and solve the system of equations for the remaining coefficients: c_1 = 2 c_2 = 1 c_3 = 1 c_4 = 2 Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation: Answer: | | 2 H_2O + Na_2SO_4 ⟶ H_2SO_4 + 2 NaOH