5.1 Flashcard: Parts of Chemical Equations

Front

What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

A coefficient is a number placed in front of a chemical formula in a chemical equation that indicates how many molecules or moles of that substance are involved in the reaction.

Front

What do the red numbers in a chemical equation represent?

Back

The red numbers represent coefficients, which indicate the number of molecules of each substance involved in the reaction.

Front

How many hydrogen atoms are in the compound C2H8O?

Back

There are 8 hydrogen atoms in the compound C2H8O.

Front

How do you calculate the total number of atoms in a compound?

Back

To calculate the total number of atoms in a compound, add the number of atoms of each element present in the chemical formula.

Front

What are the substances on the right side of a chemical equation called?

Back

The substances on the right side of a chemical equation are called products.

Front

What is a reactant in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What is the purpose of balancing a chemical equation?

Back

The purpose of balancing a chemical equation is to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation, following the law of conservation of mass.

Front

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

A subscript is a small number written to the right of a chemical symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

Front

In the equation 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O, what does the '2' in front of H2O represent?

Back

The '2' in front of H2O indicates that there are 2 molecules of water produced in the reaction.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

Back

The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction; the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.