The chemical equation you provided, (COOH)2 + NaOH = ? + H2O, is not balanced. It represents the reaction between an unknown compound with the molecular formula (COOH)2 and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), resulting in an unknown product and water (H2O).
To balance the equation, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Let's balance it step by step:
The molecular formula (COOH)2 suggests that the unknown compound is likely oxalic acid (HOOCCOOH).
The balanced equation for the reaction between oxalic acid and sodium hydroxide is:
HOOCCOOH + 2 NaOH = Na2C2O4 + 2 H2O
In this balanced equation, the coefficients indicate the number of molecules or formula units involved in the reaction. The balanced equation shows that oxalic acid reacts with two molecules of sodium hydroxide to produce sodium oxalate (Na2C2O4) and two molecules of water (H2O).
Please note that this is a general equation for the reaction between oxalic acid and sodium hydroxide. In specific cases, the products may vary depending on the reaction conditions or other factors.