stoichiometric coefficients

[Fdonovan 3D]

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?

[105311039]

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

[MAC 4G]

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.

[Caroline Zepecki]

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

[MeeraBhagat]

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.

[Robert Tran 1B]

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

[WesleyWu_1C]

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

[Zoe Gleason 4F]

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.

[kevinolvera1j]

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

[Madelyn Romberg 1H]

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.