Balancing Equations

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions?

Back

The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction; the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

Front

What is a chemical equation?

Back

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction, showing the reactants and products along with their quantities.

Front

What are coefficients in a chemical equation?

Back

Coefficients are the numbers placed before the compounds in a chemical equation to indicate the number of molecules or moles of each substance involved in the reaction.

Front

How do you determine the number of atoms of an element in a compound?

Back

The number of atoms of an element in a compound can be determined by looking at the subscript next to the element's symbol in the chemical formula.

Front

What is the difference between reactants and products in a chemical reaction?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances that undergo a chemical change, while products are the substances formed as a result of the reaction.

Front

What is the significance of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations is important because it ensures that the law of conservation of mass is upheld, meaning the same number of each type of atom is present on both sides of the equation.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

To balance a chemical equation means to adjust the coefficients of the reactants and products so that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

Front

What is a product in a chemical reaction?

Back

A product is a substance that is formed as a result of a chemical reaction, typically found on the right side of a chemical equation.

Front

How do you balance the equation H₂ + O₂ → H₂O?

Back

To balance the equation, you need 2 H₂ + O₂ → 2 H₂O, which means you have 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on both sides.

Front

What is the role of subscripts in a chemical formula?

Back

Subscripts indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule; for example, in H₂O, the subscript '2' indicates there are two hydrogen atoms.