Chemical Equations Flashcard

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 does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

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Balancing a chemical equation means ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation, adhering to the law of conservation of mass.

Front

What is the law of conservation of mass?

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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 are reactants in a chemical equation?

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Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical reaction, found on the left side of a chemical equation.

Front

What are products in a chemical equation?

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Products are the substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction, found on the right side of a chemical equation.

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How do you identify the coefficients in a chemical equation?

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Coefficients are the numbers placed before the compounds in a chemical equation that indicate the number of molecules or moles of each substance involved in the reaction.

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What is the significance of coefficients in balancing equations?

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Coefficients are used to balance chemical equations, ensuring that the same number of atoms of each element is present on both sides of the equation.

Front

What is a skeleton equation?

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A skeleton equation is a chemical equation that shows the reactants and products but not their coefficients, indicating the basic components of the reaction.

Front

What is the balanced equation for the reaction of aluminum and oxygen?

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The balanced equation is @@4Al + 3O_2 ightarrow 2Al_2O_3@@.

Front

How do you determine the total number of atoms in a balanced equation?

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To determine the total number of atoms, count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation and sum them up.