Balancing Equations

Front

What is a chemical equation?

Back

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction, showing the reactants and products along with their quantities.

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 matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Front

What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

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.

Front

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.

Front

How many oxygen atoms are in 2H2O?

Back

There are 2 oxygen atoms in 2H2O.

Front

How many total atoms are in the equation 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O?

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There are 6 total atoms: 4 hydrogen and 2 oxygen.

Front

What is the difference between reactants and products in a chemical reaction?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances that undergo a chemical change, while products are the substances formed as a result of the reaction.

Front

What does it mean if a chemical equation is not balanced?

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If a chemical equation is not balanced, it means that the number of atoms of at least one element is different on the reactant side compared to the product side.

Front

What is the purpose of balancing chemical equations?

Back

The purpose of balancing chemical equations is to comply with the Law of Conservation of Mass and accurately represent the quantities of reactants and products.