Intro to Balancing Equations

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 atoms of that substance are involved in the reaction.

Front

How do you determine the number of atoms of an element in a chemical equation?

Back

Count the coefficients and subscripts in the chemical formula. For example, in 4Al + 3O2 --> 2Al2O3, there are 4 aluminum atoms on the left side.

Front

What are the products in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

How many total atoms are in H2SO4?

Back

There are 7 total atoms in H2SO4: 2 hydrogen, 1 sulfur, and 4 oxygen.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

Balancing a chemical equation means ensuring that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

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.

Front

What is a chemical equation?

Back

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction, showing the reactants and products along with their quantities.

Front

What is the significance of the arrow in a chemical equation?

Back

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

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.