Balancing Equations

Front

What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What does the principle of conservation of mass state?

Back

The principle of conservation of mass states that matter is not created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

Front

How do you balance a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What is the total mass of reactants compared to products in a balanced equation?

Back

The total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products.

Front

How many atoms are in the compound C2H8O?

Back

There are 11 total atoms in the compound C2H8O (2 Carbon, 8 Hydrogen, 1 Oxygen).

Front

What does it mean to balance an equation?

Back

Balancing an equation means ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

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 '2' indicates there are two hydrogen atoms.

Front

What is the difference between a reactant and a product?

Back

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

Front

What is an example of a balanced chemical equation?

Back

An example of a balanced chemical equation is 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O.

Front

What happens if a chemical equation is not balanced?

Back

If a chemical equation is not balanced, it does not accurately represent the conservation of mass, leading to incorrect predictions about the reaction.