When the equation

Ca3 (PO4) 2+HNO3→Ca (NO3) 2+H3PO4

is balanced, the smallest whole number coefficient for HNO3 is

The least whole number coefficient for HNO₃ is 6

Explanation:

The chemical equation above is the reaction between calcium orthophosphate and nitric acid.

To balance a chemical equation, we have to consider law of conservation of matter which states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed.

What this law implies is that, whatever we have at the reactant side must be equal to whatever is obtainable at the product side.

The above equation is

Ca₃ (PO₄) ₂ + HNO₃ → Ca (NO₃) ₂ + H₃PO₄

To balance the equation, we'll have to check the number of atoms at each side and possibly balance the equation with the number of moles.

The balanced equation is

Ca₃ (PO₄) ₂ + 6HNO₃ → 3Ca (NO₃) ₂ + 2H₃PO₄

From the balanced equation above, we can see that the number of calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H) are balanced at both sides of the equation.

The least number coefficient for HNO₃ is 6