Answer
The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:
$2 SO_2(g) + O_2(g) + 2 H_2O(l) \rightarrow 2 H_2SO_4(aq)$
Work Step by Step
Gaseous sulfur dioxide, gaseous oxygen, and liquid water are the reactants, and aqueous sulfuric acid is the product of this reaction. The unbalanced reaction is given as:
$ SO_2(g) + O_2(g) + H_2O(l) \rightarrow H_2SO_4(aq)$
We balance this equation by first balancing the $O$ atoms, then $H$ atoms, and finally the $S$ atoms. The balanced chemical equation for the reaction then becomes:
$2 SO_2(g) + O_2(g) + 2 H_2O(l) \rightarrow 2 H_2SO_4(aq)$
