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How to Balance:

Word equation: Iron + Water → Iron (II) oxide + Hydrogen gas

Type of Chemical Reaction: For this reaction we have a single displacement reaction.

Balancing Strategies: This reaction is a single displacement reaction, where the iron and the hydrogen change places.

Remember you can only change the coefficients in front of a chemical compounds when balancing equations. The subscripts, those small numbers after element symbols, cannot be changed.

For a complete explanation, watch:

When balancing chemical equations our goal is to have the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.

Only change the coefficients (these are the numbers in front substances).
Never change the subscripts (the small numbers after elements).