Balanced or unbalanced? P.7.5E.3

Front

What is a balanced equation?

Back

A balanced equation has the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation, indicating that mass is conserved during a chemical reaction.

Front

What is an unbalanced equation?

Back

An unbalanced equation has different numbers of atoms for one or more elements on each side, meaning that mass is not conserved.

Front

What do subscripts in a chemical formula represent?

Back

Subscripts indicate the number of atoms of an element in a molecule. For example, in H2O, the '2' indicates there are two hydrogen atoms.

Front

What do coefficients in a chemical equation represent?

Back

Coefficients indicate the number of molecules or moles of a substance involved in a reaction. For example, in 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O, the '2' before H2O means there are two water molecules produced.

Front

How many chlorine atoms are in 5NaCl?

Back

There are 5 chlorine atoms in 5NaCl because each NaCl molecule contains one chlorine atom.

Front

What is the first step to determine if an equation is balanced?

Back

Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.

Front

What happens if an equation is not balanced?

Back

If an equation is not balanced, it does not accurately represent the conservation of mass, which is a fundamental principle in chemistry.

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 is the significance of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations is important because it ensures that the same amount of each element is present before and after a reaction, reflecting the conservation of mass.

Front

What is an example of a balanced chemical equation?

Back

An example of a balanced equation is: 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O.