Balancing Chemical Equations

Front

What is a chemical equation?

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

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What are reactants in a chemical equation?

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

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What are products in a chemical equation?

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

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What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

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

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What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

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A subscript is a small number written after an element symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

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What is the law of conservation of mass?

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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.

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What is a synthesis reaction?

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A synthesis reaction is a type of chemical reaction where two or more simple substances combine to form a more complex product.

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What is a decomposition reaction?

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A decomposition reaction is a type of chemical reaction where a single compound breaks down into two or more simpler products.

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What is a single replacement reaction?

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A single replacement reaction is a type of chemical reaction where one element replaces another element in a compound.

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What is a double replacement reaction?

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A double replacement reaction is a type of chemical reaction where the anions and cations of two different compounds exchange places, forming two new compounds.