Balancing Equations

Front

What is a balanced equation?

Back

A balanced 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

What does it mean when an equation is unbalanced?

Back

An unbalanced equation has a different number of atoms of one or more elements on each side, which violates the law of conservation of mass.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

Back

The law states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

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 first step in balancing a chemical equation?

Back

Identify the number of atoms of each element in the reactants and products.

Front

What is the purpose of coefficients in a chemical equation?

Back

Coefficients are used to balance the number of atoms of each element in a chemical equation.

Front

Balance the equation: _C + _O2 -> _CO2

Back

1, 1, 1 (C + O2 -> CO2) is balanced.

Front

What does it mean if the total mass of products is different from the total mass of reactants?

Back

It indicates that the equation is unbalanced and violates the law of conservation of mass.

Front

What is the balanced form of the equation: N2 + H2 -> NH3?

Back

1, 3, 2 (N2 + 3H2 -> 2NH3) is the balanced equation.

Front

What is a reactant in a chemical reaction?

Back

A reactant is a substance that undergoes change during a chemical reaction.