Physical Science Balancing Equations

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 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 are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical 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 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

How do you determine if a chemical equation is balanced?

Back

A chemical equation is balanced if the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

Front

What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

A coefficient is a number placed in front of a chemical formula in an equation to indicate how many molecules or moles of that substance are involved.

Front

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

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

Front

Balance the equation: H2 + O2 -> H2O.

Back

2 H2 + 1 O2 -> 2 H2O.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the combustion of methane (CH4)?

Back

1 CH4 + 2 O2 -> 1 CO2 + 2 H2O.