[Allowinit]

We just did a lab today and got the following equation:

Oxalic Acid + Sulphuric Acid + Water + Potassium Permanganate --> Potassium Sulphate + Manganous Sulphate + Water + Carbon Dioxide


H2C2O4 + H2SO4 + H2O + KMnO4 --> K2SO4 + MnSO4 + H2O + CO2

I can't figure out how to balance it, any help?

[nj_bartel]

C
S
Mn
K
O
H

Make a table like that.  On the left hand side, write how many you have of each element in the reactants.  On the right hand side, write how many you have of each element in the products.  Balance from the top down.

[Allowinit]

I tried that out, I just couldn't do it even after that.

I typed it into an auto-balancing thing on the internet just to see how to do it and it said it was invalid.

[AWK]

H2C2O4 + H2SO4 + H2O + KMnO4 --> K2SO4 + MnSO4 + H2O + CO2
Water on the left side is most unnecessary

[Allowinit]

I woke up this morning and think I figured it out. I think the water was used as somewhat of a 'negative catalyst'. So it's not required on the reactants side.

[AWK]

Water is a result of oxidation.
Read something on Gibbs(free) energy.