Balancing Chemical Equations - General

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

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 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

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

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

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 a reactant in a chemical reaction?

Back

A reactant is a substance that undergoes change during a chemical reaction, found on the left side of the equation.

Front

What is a product in a chemical reaction?

Back

A product is a substance that is formed as a result of a chemical reaction, found on the right side of the equation.

Front

Example of a balanced equation: 2H₂ + O₂ ---> 2H₂O. Is this equation balanced?

Back

YES, there are 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on both sides.

Front

Example of an unbalanced equation: C₃H₈ + O₂ ---> CO₂ + H₂O. Is this equation balanced?

Back

NO, the number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms is not the same on both sides.

Front

What is the significance of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations is crucial for accurately representing the quantities of reactants and products involved in a reaction.