Balancing Equations

What is the end result of a balanced chemical equation?

• The reactants equal the products

• Only the metals should be equal to each other

• All of the coefficients should be same

• All of the subscripts will be the same

Why is hydroxide (OH) kept together?

One of the best first steps in balancing equations is to always...

• count the reactants and products

• count just the products

• count just the reactants

• count the reactants, count the products, and write them down in a chart

The coefficient of two has an effect

• the first element, Na

• the second element, Cl

• the entire compound, NaCl

• nothing

Which element should you wait to balance second to last? (spell it out completely with no capital letters)

(a)  

Which element should you wait to balance out last? (spell it out completely with no capital letters)

(a)  

So now, in the equation, what element are you balancing first?

(a)  

What is truly the key in balancing chemical reactions?

(a)