converted to one or more new

substances.
• Chemical reactions follow the
law of conservation of mass.
LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS
(MATTER)
• Matter is neither created nor
destroyed in an ordinary chemical
reaction.
Mass of reactant = Mass of product

Writing And Balancing Chemical

Equation
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
• Symbolic representations of
chemical processes that use
standardized notation to
communicate information in an
efficient manner.
Reactant Product

Chemical Reactions And Chemical

Equations
CHEMICAL REACTION
• In a chemical reaction, a
substance (or substances) is

Example:
1. Aluminum metal dissolves in an
aqueous solution of sulfuric acid
to form hydrogen gas bubbles and
a solution of aluminum sulfate.
aluminum + sulfuric acid hydrogen + aluminum sulfate
Al(s) + H2SO4(aq) H2(g) + Al2(SO4)3(aq)
2. Methane gas, which is the major
component of natural gas, burns in
oxygen in the air to produce carbon
dioxide and water vapor.
methane + oxygen carbon dioxide + water vapor
CH4(g) + O2(g) CO2(g) + H2O(g)
BALANCED CHEMICAL
EQUATION
• A chemical equation whose
number of atoms of each element
in the reactant and product side
are equal.
Rules in balancing chemical equation
1) Write the “correct” unbalanced
equation.
2) Count the number of atoms of
each type appearing on both
sides.
3) Start with the most complex
formula (containing the most
number of atoms) in the reactant
or product side.
4) Balance the element in the free
state first. If there are many
elements to be balanced,
hydrogen and oxygen are
balanced last.
5) Place a coefficient in front of the
formula so that the number of
atoms of each element in the
reactant and product side are
equal. The coefficient must be in
the small whole-numbered ratios.
6) Check if the equation is balanced.
NEVER!!
• Change a subscript to balance an
equation.
• If you change the formula you are
describing a different reaction.
• H2O is a different compound than
H2O2
• Never put a coefficient in the
middle of a formula
• 2NaCl is okay, Na2Cl is not.
COEFFICIENT
• A number that gives the amount
of moles/atoms of each substance
involved in the reaction.
• A multiplier to all atoms in a
formula.
Example:
2H2O
2 moles of water, 4 atoms of hydrogen
and 2 atom of oxygen
SUBSCRIPT
• A number written below a
chemical symbol which indicates
the number of atoms of the
element.
Example:
H2O 2
atoms of hydrogen, and 1 atom of oxygen
INTERPRETATION OF A
CHEMICAL EQUATION
How can a balanced chemical equation
be interpreted?