Balancing chemical equations requires ensuring that the number of atoms on both sides of the equation is the same. In combustion and respiration reactions, oxygen is crucial, and the products are often carbon dioxide and water.
Red-hot iron reacts with steam (water vapor) to produce iron oxide and hydrogen gas. The balanced chemical equation is:
\[
3Fe (s) + 4H_2O (g) \rightarrow Fe_3O_4 (s) + 4H_2 (g)
\]
Iron (Fe) and steam (H2O) yield iron oxide (Fe3O4) and hydrogen gas (H2).