Balancing H+

[Veritas Kim 2L]

Our textbook and the Redox Instruction on the web posted by Dr. Lavelle tells us to just add H+ to balance the number of H on the other side, but our TA said it would be wrong to do so. The correct way to balance H is to add H30+ so which way are we supposed to balance the H? H30+ is making it confusing...

[Ryan Sydney Beyer 2B]

I would think to do H+ since it was in the book and Dr. Lavelle said to do it as well. H3O makes it more complicated as well.

[Karen Ung 2H]

You can use H+ to balance the number of H's. I think using the H3O+ is the correct way to balance corresponding to the reaction, but my TA brought up in section that you can use H+ and then replace it with H3O+ at the end since it makes more sense to use H+ when balancing.

[Veritas Kim 2L]

So balancing the number of H with H+ or H3O+ is both considered correct? If I balance H with H30+ I have to go back and balance the other side's number of O again...

[Kaelie Blanes-Ronda 2L]

Yes both are correct the difference is that H+ is the older way of writing the reaction and H3O+ is the new way. I don't think you will be penalized for using either or as long as you balance them correctly.