How to Balance: H2O = H2 + O2 (Decomposition of Water)

Once you know how many of each type of atom you have you can only change the coefficients (the numbers in front of atoms or compounds) in order to balance the equation.

Important tips for balancing chemical equations:

Only change the numbers in front of compounds (the coefficients).
Never change the numbers after atoms (the subscripts).
The number of each atom on both sides of the equation must be the same for the equation to be balanced.

For a complete tutorial on balancing all types of chemical equations, watch my video:

Drawing/writing done in Adobe Illustrator 6.0. Screen capture done with Camtasia Studio 4.0. Done on a Microsoft Surface Pro 3.

[xenogenix]

I can’t say that my teacher taught me really bad because I wasn’t even listening to her...

[EternalTem]

This made it so easy to understand I was struggling so much

[gyaniirana]

Can we add the coefficient atom of reactant side or product side

[mercysithole]

Thank u so much Doc B, I wasn't sure if my answer was correct but now with ur explanation, I understood what I was doing

[silvanascolari]

Is this a decomposition reaction and a redox reaction ?

[rekharathore]

Is it electrolytic decomposition reaction?

[HARPXDSWAG]

Thank you Dr. B, you have saved my chemistry grade with your videos, and helped me understand chemistry. You teach much clearer than my teacher does.

[ErickHered]

Why does Oxygen already have 2 in the products side. Shouldn't it be 1?

[Andraf-fxht]

How many atoms of hydrogen are on the left side of the balanced
equation? would it be still 2 or would it be 4?

[khushicreations]

Oh only one time i can understand that really easy

[aloismargreth]

water splits in to hydrogen gas and oxygen gas respectively

[arvindsingh.]

Ah.. my chemistry teacher just wrote 1/2 in front of O2 making it 1 O in total and balance d?

[punitaberi]

Who else is here before the one day of exam 🤣🤣

[brightaustinbalona]

IS THAT THE FINAL ANSWER ? IM CONFUSED AF AND I LITERALLY WATCH 3 TIMES ADN I STILL DON'T GET IT. SOMEONE ME PLEASE