Balancing Chemical Equations

Front

What is the little number after an element in a chemical equation called?

Back

Subscript

Front

What is the left part of a chemical equation called?

Back

Reactants

Front

What is the right part of a chemical equation called?

Back

Products

Front

What does it mean for a chemical equation to be balanced?

Back

A balanced chemical equation has the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.

Front

How do you determine if a chemical equation is balanced?

Back

Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation and compare.

Front

What is the purpose of balancing chemical equations?

Back

To obey the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed.

Front

What is the coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

A coefficient is a number placed in front of a compound to indicate how many molecules or moles of that compound are present.

Front

How do you balance the equation: _Al + _HCl --> _H2 + _AlCl3?

Back

The balanced equation is 2Al + 6HCl --> 3H2 + 2AlCl3.

Front

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

Back

It states that the total mass of reactants must equal the total mass of products in a chemical reaction.

Front

What is a skeletal equation?

Back

A skeletal equation is a chemical equation that does not have coefficients to indicate the number of molecules.