Balancing chemical reactions

Front

What is a chemical reaction?

Back

A process where substances (reactants) are transformed into new substances (products) through the breaking and forming of chemical bonds.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

To ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the reactant and product sides of the equation.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical reaction?

Back

The starting substances that undergo change during a chemical reaction.

Front

What are products in a chemical reaction?

Back

The new substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

Front

What is a precipitate?

Back

An insoluble solid that forms when two solutions are mixed and a chemical reaction occurs.

Front

How do you identify the number of atoms in a chemical formula?

Back

By counting the subscripts in the formula; if no subscript is present, it is understood to be one.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

Back

In a chemical reaction, mass is neither created nor destroyed; the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

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What does it mean if a reaction is not balanced?

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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 role of coefficients in a chemical equation?

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Coefficients are numbers placed before compounds in a chemical equation to indicate how many molecules or moles of that substance are involved.

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What happens when a gas is produced in a chemical reaction?

Back

It may escape into the atmosphere, causing a change in the volume of the reaction mixture.