Balance the chemical equation: FeSO4 → Fe2O3 + SO2 + SO3

To balance the chemical equation \( \text{FeSO}_4 \to \text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 + \text{SO}_2 + \text{SO}_3 \), we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element on the reactant side equals the number on the product side. Here’s how to approach it step by step:

### Step 1: Write Down the Unbalanced Equation
\[
\text{FeSO}_4 \to \text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 + \text{SO}_2 + \text{SO}_3
\]

### Step 2: Count the Atoms of Each Element
- **Reactants**:
- Fe: 1
- S: 1
- O: 4

- **Products**:
- **From** \(\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3\):
- Fe: 2
- O: 3
- **From** \(\text{SO}_2\):
- S: 1
- O: 2
- **From** \(\text{SO}_3\):
- S: 1
- O: 3

Total for products:
- Fe: 2
- S: 2 (1 from \(\text{SO}_2\) and 1 from \(\text{SO}_3\))
- O: 3 (from \(\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3\)) + 2 (from \(\text{SO}_2\)) + 3 (from \(\text{SO}_3\)) = 8

### Step 3: Write the Balancing Equation
From our count:
- We have:
- Fe: 1 (reactants) vs 2 (products)
- S: 1 (reactants) vs 2 (products)
- O: 4 (reactants) vs 8 (products)

### Step 4: Start Balancing
1. **Balance Fe**:
We need 2 Fe in the reactants:
\[
2\text{FeSO}_4 \to \text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 + \text{SO}_2 + \text{SO}_3
\]

2. **Update Count**:
- Reactants:
- Fe: 2
- S: 2
- O: 8
- Products (remains the same):
- Fe: 2
- S: 2
- O: 8

3. Now that Fe and S are balanced, let's ensure that the oxygen is balanced as well.

4. **Balance O**:
- In the reactants, we have \(2 \times 4 = 8\) O.
- In the products, we have:
- From \(\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3\): 3 O
- From \(\text{SO}_2\): 2 O
- From \(\text{SO}_3\): 3 O
- Total: \(3 + 2 + 3 = 8\) O.

### Step 5: Final Balanced Equation
Now we can write the balanced equation:
\[
\boxed{2\text{FeSO}_4 \to \text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 + \text{SO}_2 + \text{SO}_3}
\]

### Summary
The balanced equation shows that 2 moles of iron(II) sulfate decompose to form 1 mole of iron(III) oxide, 1 mole of sulfur dioxide, and 1 mole of sulfur trioxide. Each element has the same number of atoms on both sides of the equation, confirming that it is balanced.