Balancing Chemical Equations

Front

What is a balanced chemical equation?

Back

A balanced chemical equation has the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation, indicating that mass is conserved during the reaction.

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. If they are equal, the equation is balanced.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

Back

The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; it can only change forms.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

Balancing a chemical equation means adjusting the coefficients in front of the reactants and products to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides.

Front

What are coefficients in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

Example of a balanced equation: H₂ + O₂ → H₂O. Is it balanced?

Back

Yes, it is balanced because there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on both sides.

Front

Example of an unbalanced equation: C + O₂ → CO. Is it balanced?

Back

No, it is unbalanced because there is 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms on the left, but only 1 carbon and 1 oxygen on the right.

Front

What is the balanced form of the equation: Fe + O₂ → Fe₂O₃?

Back

4Fe + 3O₂ → 2Fe₂O₃.

Front

What is the balanced form of the equation: P₄ + O₂ → P₂O₃?

Back

4P₄ + 6O₂ → 8P₂O₃.

Front

What is the balanced form of the equation: C₃H₈ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O?

Back

C₃H₈ + 5O₂ → 3CO₂ + 4H₂O.