Balancing Chemical Reactions

Front

What is a balanced chemical equation?

Back

A balanced chemical equation has equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation, indicating that mass is conserved during the reaction.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical reaction?

Back

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

Front

What are products in a chemical reaction?

Back

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

Front

How do you determine the number of atoms in a compound?

Back

Count the number of atoms of each element in the chemical formula and multiply by the coefficient if present.

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.

Front

What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

How do you balance a chemical equation?

Back

To balance a chemical equation, adjust the coefficients of the reactants and products to ensure the same number of each type of atom on both sides.

Front

What is the significance of subscripts in a chemical formula?

Back

Subscripts indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule; they cannot be changed when balancing equations.

Front

What is a skeleton equation?

Back

A skeleton equation is a chemical equation that shows the reactants and products but not their coefficients.

Front

What is the difference between a chemical change and a physical change?

Back

A chemical change results in the formation of new substances, while a physical change does not alter the chemical composition of a substance.