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 reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What are products in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What does it mean to balance a chemical equation?

Back

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

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; it is conserved.

Front

How do you determine the coefficients in a balanced equation?

Back

Coefficients are determined by adjusting the numbers in front of the compounds to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides.

Front

What is the coefficient in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

Balance the equation: _C + _O2 → _CO2

Back

1, 2, 1

Front

Balance the equation: _Fe + _O2 → _Fe2O3

Back

4, 3, 2

Front

What is the first step in balancing a chemical equation?

Back

The first step is to write down the number of atoms of each element present in the reactants and products.