Balancing Chemical Equations Vocabulary

Front

What are the starting substances in a chemical reaction?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical reaction.

Front

What does a synthesis reaction look like?

Back

A synthesis reaction can be represented as A + B > AB.

Front

What is a decomposition reaction?

Back

A decomposition reaction is when a single compound breaks down into two or more simpler products, e.g., 2H2O > 2H2 + O2.

Front

How many oxygen atoms are in the reactants of the equation 2C2H6 + 7O2 --> 4CO2 + 6H2O?

Back

There are 14 oxygen atoms on the reactant side.

Front

What is the representation of a decomposition reaction?

Back

A decomposition reaction can be represented as AB > A + B.

Front

What are products in a chemical reaction?

Back

Products are the substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

Front

What is the purpose of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations ensures that the same number of each type of atom appears on both sides of the equation.

Front

What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

A subscript is a number written below and to the right of a chemical symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

Back

The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.