BALANCING CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Front

What is a chemical reaction?

Back

A chemical reaction is a process in which substances (reactants) are transformed into different substances (products) through the breaking and forming of chemical bonds.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

Balancing a chemical equation means ensuring that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation, reflecting the conservation of mass.

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; the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical reaction?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical reaction that undergo change to form products.

Front

What are products in a chemical reaction?

Back

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

Front

How do you determine the coefficients in a balanced equation?

Back

Coefficients are determined by adjusting the numbers in front of the compounds to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is equal 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 in an equation 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 balanced equation for the combustion of methane (CH4)?

Back

The balanced equation is: CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the reaction of aluminum with hydrochloric acid?

Back

The balanced equation is: 2 Al + 6 HCl → 3 H2 + 2 AlCl3.