Balancing Equations

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What is the law of conservation of mass in relation to balancing chemical equations?

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The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. Therefore, the number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of a balanced equation.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical equation?

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Reactants are the substances that undergo a chemical change in a reaction, found on the left side of a chemical equation.

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What are products in a chemical equation?

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Products are the substances that are formed as a result of a chemical reaction, found on the right side of a chemical equation.

Front

How do you determine the coefficients needed to balance a chemical equation?

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Coefficients are determined by adjusting the numbers in front of the compounds to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides of the equation.

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What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

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A coefficient is a number placed in front of a chemical formula in an equation to indicate how many molecules or moles of that substance are involved in the reaction.

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What is the significance of balancing chemical equations?

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Balancing chemical equations is significant because it reflects the conservation of mass and allows for the accurate prediction of the amounts of reactants and products involved in a reaction.

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What is the first step in balancing a chemical equation?

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The first step in balancing a chemical equation is to write down the unbalanced equation and count the number of atoms of each element on both sides.

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What does it mean if a chemical equation is unbalanced?

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An unbalanced chemical equation means that the number of atoms of each element is not the same on both sides of the equation, violating the law of conservation of mass.

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How do you balance an equation with polyatomic ions?

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When balancing equations with polyatomic ions, treat the polyatomic ion as a single unit if it appears unchanged on both sides of the equation.

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What is the role of subscripts in a chemical formula?

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Subscripts in a chemical formula indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule. They are not changed when balancing equations.