Balancing 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 the 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 the equation.

Front

What does the arrow in a chemical equation represent?

Back

The arrow represents the direction of the reaction, indicating that reactants yield products.

Front

How do you balance a chemical equation?

Back

To balance a chemical equation, adjust the coefficients in front of the compounds to ensure the same number of each type of atom on both sides.

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.

Front

What is a 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

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

A subscript is a number written below and to the right of a chemical symbol, indicating the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

Front

What does it mean if a chemical equation is already balanced?

Back

If a chemical equation is already balanced, it means that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation without needing any adjustments.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the reaction of zinc and hydrochloric acid?

Back

The balanced equation is Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl₂ + H₂.