Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of solid lithium with liquid water.

Chemical reactions are processes where substances, known as reactants, transform into different substances called products. In the context of our exercise, solid lithium reacts with liquid water, a process typical of alkali metals reacting with water. In a chemical reaction, the atoms of the reactants are rearranged to create the products, but no atoms are lost or gained - they are simply redistributed.

During this transformation, the law of conservation of mass dictates that the number of atoms for each element must remain constant. Balancing chemical equations is the method we use to ensure that this law is upheld. For example, the reaction between lithium and water is initially written as an unbalanced equation. This step is critical to set the stage for the balancing process that follows, which requires adjusting coefficients to account for each element involved in the reaction.

Alkali metals, located in Group 1 of the periodic table, include elements like lithium, sodium, and potassium. Renowned for their high reactivity, especially with water, these metals react vigorously, often generating heat and hydrogen gas as products. For example, lithium's reaction with water produces lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

Understanding the properties of alkali metals can help predict the products of chemical reactions. In educational exercises, highlighting the reactivity of these metals can assist students in making educated guesses about the possible reaction products before writing the chemical equation. After predicting, confirmation comes from balancing the equation, which ensures the reaction adheres to established scientific principles.

Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions. It is grounded in the principle that quantities of substances are conserved in a chemical reaction, allowing us to predict the amounts of products formed from given amounts of reactants. In the exercise provided, stoichiometry is used to balance the chemical equation.

Balancing involves ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is equal on both sides of the equation, which can be achieved by placing appropriate coefficients before the chemical formulas. In our example, the coefficient '2' is placed before lithium and the other reactants and products to achieve atomic balance, specifically accounting for lithium's interaction with water and the resultant lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, articulating the stoichiometric relationship between the involved substances.