Balancing Chemical Equations

Front

What is a balanced chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What are coefficients in a chemical equation?

Back

Coefficients are the larger numbers placed in front of the chemical formulas in a balanced equation that indicate the number of molecules or moles of a substance.

Front

What is the difference between reactants and products?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical reaction, while products are the substances formed as a result of the reaction.

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

Balancing a chemical equation means adjusting the coefficients to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

Front

What type of reaction is represented by the equation: Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2?

Back

This is a single replacement reaction, where magnesium replaces hydrogen in hydrochloric acid.

Front

What is a double replacement reaction?

Back

A double replacement reaction occurs when two compounds exchange ions or bonds to form two new compounds.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

Back

The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; it can only change forms.

Front

How do you identify a synthesis reaction?

Back

A synthesis reaction occurs when two or more reactants combine to form a single product.

Front

What is a decomposition reaction?

Back

A decomposition reaction occurs when a single compound breaks down into two or more simpler products.

Front

What is the role of subscripts in a chemical formula?

Back

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