Balancing chemical equations

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

What are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

Reactants are the substances that undergo a chemical change in a reaction, found on the left side of a chemical equation.

Front

What are products in a chemical equation?

Back

Products are the substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction, found on the right side of a chemical equation.

Front

What does the arrow in a chemical equation represent?

Back

The arrow indicates the direction of the reaction, showing that reactants are transformed into products.

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 is the 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

Balance the equation: C + O₂ ---> CO₂.

Back

The balanced equation is C + O₂ ---> CO₂ (already balanced).

Front

Balance the equation: H₂ + O₂ ---> H₂O.

Back

The balanced equation is 2H₂ + O₂ ---> 2H₂O.

Front

What is a skeleton equation?

Back

A skeleton equation is a chemical equation that shows the reactants and products but not the coefficients needed to balance it.