This simple-looking equation has been making the rounds on social media, and it is a wonderful test of your high school science memory! At first glance, it might look like a math problem, but it is actually a classic chemistry puzzle.
The image asks you to complete the following reaction: 2H2 + O2.
What makes this puzzle so fun is that you aren’t doing normal addition with numbers. Instead, you have to remember how basic elements combine in the real world. Let’s break down the letters. The “H” stands for Hydrogen, and the “O” stands for Oxygen.
The equation shows two molecules of hydrogen gas reacting with one molecule of oxygen gas. When you combine these specific elements together, they bond to form one of the most important and famous chemical compounds on Earth.
Since you have four hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms in total, they combine perfectly to create two molecules of water!
Answer: 2H2O (Water).
