The poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide, H2S, can be neutralized with a base such as sodium hydroxide, NaOH. The unbalanced equation for this reaction follows: NaOH(aq)

 H2S(g) → Na2S(aq)

 H2O(l) A student who was asked to balance this equation wrote the following: Na2OH(aq)

 H2S(g) → Na2S(aq)

 H3O(l) Is this equation balanced? Is it correct? Explain why or why not, and supply the correct balanced equation if necessary.

It is balanced but incorrect. In two of the formulas the subscripts were changed, which changed the compounds involved. Water is not H3O, and sodium hydroxide is not Na2OH. The correct balanced equation is 2NaOH H2S → Na2S 2H2O.