Balancing Chemical Equations Basics

Front

What is a chemical equation?

Back

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction, showing the reactants and products involved.

Front

What are reactants in a chemical equation?

Back

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical 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 the arrow in a chemical equation represent?

Back

The arrow indicates the direction of the reaction, showing how reactants transform into products.

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.

Front

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

A subscript is a small number written after an element symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

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 law of conservation of mass?

Back

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 is the purpose of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations ensures that the same number of atoms of each element is present on both sides of the equation, reflecting the conservation of mass.

Front

What is an example of a balanced chemical equation?

Back

An example of a balanced chemical equation is: 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O.