Balancing Chemical Equations

Front

What is a chemical equation?

Back

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction, showing the reactants and products involved.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

Reactants are the substances that undergo a chemical change in a reaction, found on the left side of the equation.

Front

What are products in a chemical equation?

Back

Products are the substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction, found on the right side of the equation.

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.

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; it is conserved.

Front

How do you determine the total number of atoms in a compound?

Back

To determine the total number of atoms in a compound, multiply the subscript of each element by the number of molecules and sum them up.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the combustion of propane (C3H8)?

Back

The balanced equation is: C3H8 + 5O2 → 3CO2 + 4H2O.

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 the difference between a balanced and unbalanced equation?

Back

A balanced equation has equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides, while an unbalanced equation does not.

Front

What is the significance of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations is important because it reflects the conservation of mass and allows for accurate stoichiometric calculations.