Balancing Chemical 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 are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical reaction that undergo change to form products.

Front

What are products in a chemical equation?

Back

Products are the substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

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 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 in the reaction.

Front

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

A subscript is a small number written to the right of a chemical symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

Front

How do you balance a chemical equation?

Back

To balance a chemical equation, adjust the coefficients of the reactants and products to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

Front

What does it mean for a chemical equation to be balanced?

Back

A balanced chemical equation has the same number of each type of atom on both sides, reflecting the conservation of mass.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the combustion of hydrogen?

Back

2H2 + O2 → 2H2O.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the formation of water?

Back

2H2 + O2 → 2H2O.