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 coefficients in a chemical equation?

Back

Coefficients are the numbers placed before the compounds in a chemical equation to indicate the number of molecules or moles of each substance involved in the reaction.

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 first step in balancing a chemical equation?

Back

Identify the number of atoms of each element in the reactants and products.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

To balance a chemical equation means to adjust the coefficients so that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides.

Front

Example of a balanced equation: 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O. What does this indicate?

Back

This indicates that 2 molecules of hydrogen react with 1 molecule of oxygen to produce 2 molecules of water, conserving mass.

Front

What is the significance of the coefficients in the equation 2Na + Cl2 -> 2NaCl?

Back

The coefficients indicate that 2 sodium atoms react with 1 molecule of chlorine gas to produce 2 formula units of sodium chloride.

Front

What is an unbalanced chemical equation?

Back

An unbalanced chemical equation has different numbers of atoms for one or more elements on each side of the equation.

Front

How can you tell if the equation H2 + Cl2 -> 2HCl is balanced?

Back

By counting, there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 chlorine atoms on both sides, so the equation is balanced.