BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

What should we count first when trying to balance a chemical equation?

• The coefficients
  

• The protons

• The atoms on each side of the equation

• The signs of the compounds

Which part of a chemical formula cannot be changed when balancing?

• The coefficients
  

• The products

• The reactants

• The subscripts (small numbers after the atom

What does a number in front of a chemical formula in an equation represent?

• the number of chemical bonds
  

• The number of electrons

• The total number of atoms in the compound

• The coefficient that multiplies all atoms in the compound

What technique makes balancing easier when polyatomic ions appear on both sides of the equation?

• Ignore them

• Treat them as one single unit

• Break them into individual atoms

• Change their subscripts

In the last example, why are there three oxygen atoms counted on the product side?

• Because there's triple oxygen in one compound

• Because one comes from CO₂ and two from H₂O

• Because there're two in CO₂ and one more in the other compound

• Because the subscripts indicate 3 oxygens