# Is this balanced redox equation correct? [closed]

I'm trying to balance an equation using oxidation numbers

$$\ce{MnO4^- + H+ + Cl- -> Mn^2+ + Cl2 + H2O}$$

my suggestion:

$$\ce{MnO4- + 8H+ + 5Cl- → Mn^2+ + 2.5Cl2 + 4H2O}$$

the 2.5 $$\ce{Cl2}$$ is throwing me off, would like to make sure my methodology is correct.

• Could you edit the question and tell us what your methodology is (or how you check whether the equation makes sense)? How many electrons are being transferred, and from where to where? If the 2.5 is bothering you, just multiply all coefficients (including the explicit ones in front of the manganese species) by two. Jun 11 '19 at 1:03

The balanced equation seems correct. Multiplying by $$2$$ we get the following:
$$\ce{2 MnO4- + 16 H+ + 10 Cl- → 2 Mn^2+ + 5 Cl2 + 8 H2O}$$
\begin{align} \ce{\overset{+7}{Mn}O4- + 8 H+ + 5 e- &→ \overset{+2}{Mn}^2+ + 4 H2O} &|\cdot 2 \tag{red}\\ \ce{2 \overset{-1}{Cl}^- &→ \overset{0}{Cl}_2 + 2 e-} &|\cdot 5 \tag{ox}\\ \hline \ce{2 MnO4- + 16 H+ + 10 Cl- &→ 2 Mn^2+ + 8 H2O + 5 Cl2} \tag{redox} \end{align}