Balancing 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

What does it mean to balance an equation?

Back

Balancing an equation means adjusting the coefficients of the reactants and products to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is equal on both sides.

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

How do you determine if an 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 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

Balance the equation: @@ ext{______Mg + ______Cl}_2 ightarrow ext{______MgCl}_2@@

Back

Already balanced.

Front

How many atoms of aluminum are in the equation: @@4 ext{Al} + 3 ext{O}_2 ightarrow 2 ext{Al}_2 ext{O}_3@@?

Back

4

Front

Is the equation @@2 ext{H}_2 ext{O} + ext{O}_2 ightarrow 4 ext{MgO} + 3 ext{Fe}@@ balanced?

Back

No.

Front

Balance the equation: @@ ext{______Al + ______HCl} ightarrow ext{______H}_2 + ext{______AlCl}_3@@

Back

2, 6, 3, 2.

Front

Balance the equation: @@ ext{______ Al + ______ FeO} ightarrow ext{______Al}_2 ext{O}_2 + ext{______ Fe}@@

Back

2, 2, 1, 2.