PLease assist with tricky balancing...

[Wiseman_X]

I'm having some real trouble with a tricky problem on a worksheet we got in my high school Chem class, if anyone could shine some light on my problem, I would be really interested to know how to solve this.

The Balancing Calculator on this same site says that some of the chemicals have coefficients of 0, I don't understand what that means.

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NaOH + Ca(OH)2 + Cl2 = Ca(OCl)2 + NaCl + H2

[Sam]

I'm having some real trouble with a tricky problem on a worksheet we got in my high school Chem class, if anyone could shine some light on my problem, I would be really interested to know how to solve this.

The Balancing Calculator on this same site says that some of the chemicals have coefficients of 0, I don't understand what that means.

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NaOH + Ca(OH)2 + Cl2 = Ca(OCl)2 + NaCl + H2

That is because your reaction has a mistake. It must be:

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NaOH + Ca(OH)2 + Cl2 = Ca(OCl)2 + NaCl + H2O

I've checked it balances all right:
http://www.webqc.org/balance.php?reacti ... NaCl%2BH₂O

[Wiseman_X]

No, she specifically told us that it is not

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H2O

.... It's confusing... I'm gonna die

[Sam]

No, she specifically told us that it is not

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H2O

.... It's confusing... I'm gonna die

I'll insist that it must be H₂O, there is absolutely no way H₂ could be produced in such a reaction (due to the fact that Cl₂ is a strong oxidizing agent).
Tell your teacher about this thread(forum) - I am ready to argue with her that it is H₂O!