Methanol can be oxidised by hydrogen peroxide to produce carbon dioxide and water.
𝐚CH3OH + 3H2O2 → CO2 + 𝐛H2O
What is the value of 𝐛 when this equation is balanced?

Answer:

When balancing this chemical equation, you must have the same number of carbon atoms, hydrogen
atoms and oxygen atoms on both the reactant side and the product side of the equation. This is only
true for the correct answer, C.
‘a’ can be calculated first. With just one carbon on the right hand side of the equation it can be
deduced that a=1. With this knowledge, the remainder of the equation can be balanced and ‘b’ found.
For instance, recognising 7 oxygen atoms are present on the left, and therefore 7 oxygen atoms much
be present on the right, means that b must be 5.
The answer is C