CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY

For the reaction 3/2 O2 -> O3, why do we use the stoichiometric coefficient of 3/2? Would it still be correct if we multiply both sides by 2, or is that not the simplest form of the equation?

the reaction is correct either way. You can multiply by 2 if you want.

Both are correct as mentioned above, and I don't think you'd lose points for having either. Typically we haven't really left coefficients in fractions, at least on exams and tests.

It's correct whether in fraction or whole number form, because the equations we use relate the two in ratio form anyways.

The reason it was in fraction form was because the first step of the reaction wanted to be written to get exactly one mole of product just to make it simpler. Therefore, to make this happen, there needed to be 1/2(O2) as a reactant. If you had started with 1 mole O2 then you would end up with 2 moles O3 in the end.

Either way works, but the reaction is written with the fraction so that the coefficient of the product is one.

Sometimes you want one of the species in your equation to be 1 mol, which is why other species have fractions as coefficents.

Either way is correct, but if you wanted to answer a question with one mol of O3, then you can use the reaction with 3/2 to make it simpler.

Using a fraction is useful if you only want the product to have 1 mol in your equations.

This shows the standard reaction where you want to get exactly one mole of product, which means we use fractions for the reactants if needed.

Both ways are correct. It's whatever you prefer.

Both ways are correct, but using a fraction is useful when you want the product to have 1 mol.

Either way is correct!

Either leaving the coefficient as 3/2 or multiplying all the elements in the reaction by the coefficient 2 is correct, however typically in a reaction is it preferred to not have fractions.

Hi! Either way is correct! Typically, in chemical equations, we want the coefficient to be a whole number; however, if you are performing a calculation where you want either the product or the reactant in terms of 1 mole, then having the coefficients as fractions would help.

Both would be correct since you can multiply it all by 2 or you can do 3/2, but typically you would want to have a whole number for a coefficient to make it easier.
Hope that helped!

It is written with these stoichiometric coefficients because these are the smallest numbers that result in the correct number of molecules on both sides. With that said, yes, they could also both be multiplied by 2. But just as you said, this would not be the smallest ratio.

It is all based on preference so both ways are correct! It is just easier to see the fraction version as it is easy to add 1 mol.

Both would be correct and it's based on preference. The ratios would be the same anyways.

Both ways are correct. They use the fraction because it is easier to keep things at 1 mol.