balanced or unbalanced 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 is an unbalanced chemical equation?

Back

An unbalanced chemical equation does not have the same number of each type of atom on both sides, meaning that mass is not conserved.

Front

How do you determine if a chemical equation is balanced?

Back

Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. If they are equal, the equation is balanced.

Front

What is the purpose of coefficients in a chemical equation?

Back

Coefficients are used to balance chemical equations by indicating the number of molecules or moles of each reactant and product.

Front

What does the arrow in a chemical equation represent?

Back

The arrow represents the direction of the reaction, indicating that reactants are transformed into products.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

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

Front

What are products in a chemical equation?

Back

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

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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

What is a chemical subscript?

Back

A chemical subscript is a number written below and to the right of a chemical symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

Front

How do you balance the equation N2 + O2 -> NO?

Back

Place a coefficient of 2 in front of NO to balance the equation: N2 + O2 -> 2NO.