Hg(CN)2 = Hg + (CN)2

mercuric cyanide ⟶ mercury + cyanogen

Balance the chemical equation algebraically: ⟶ + Add stoichiometric coefficients, c_i, to the reactants and products: c_1 ⟶ c_2 + c_3 Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for C, Hg and N: C: | 2 c_1 = 2 c_3 Hg: | c_1 = c_2 N: | 2 c_1 = 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 = 1 c_3 = 1 Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation: Answer: | | ⟶ +

⟶ +

mercuric cyanide ⟶ mercury + cyanogen

| mercuric cyanide | mercury | cyanogen Hill formula | C_2HgN_2 | Hg | C_2N_2 name | mercuric cyanide | mercury | cyanogen IUPAC name | dicyanomercury | mercury | oxalonitrile

| mercuric cyanide | mercury | cyanogen molar mass | 252.628 g/mol | 200.592 g/mol | 52.036 g/mol phase | liquid (at STP) | liquid (at STP) | gas (at STP) melting point | 3.77 °C | -38.87 °C | boiling point | | 356.6 °C | -21.17 °C density | 3.996 g/cm^3 | 13.534 g/cm^3 | 0.002127 g/cm^3 (at 25 °C) solubility in water | soluble | slightly soluble | very soluble surface tension | | 0.47 N/m | 0.02282 N/m dynamic viscosity | | 0.001526 Pa s (at 25 °C) | 9.8×10^-6 Pa s (at 15 °C) odor | | odorless |