Scribd
Upload
516 views3 pages

Balancing Equations Notes

Chemical equations must be balanced according to the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, so the number of atoms on each side of the equation must be equal. The example equation H2 + O2 → H2O is unbalanced, with differing numbers of hydrogen and oxygen atoms on each side. To balance it, only the coefficients in front of the compounds can be changed. Changing the coefficient of H2O to 2 balances the equation with equal numbers of hydrogen and oxygen atoms on both sides of the reaction.

Uploaded by

Mervyn Mlilo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
516 views3 pages

Balancing Equations Notes

Chemical equations must be balanced according to the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, so the number of atoms on each side of the equation must be equal. The example equation H2 + O2 → H2O is unbalanced, with differing numbers of hydrogen and oxygen atoms on each side. To balance it, only the coefficients in front of the compounds can be changed. Changing the coefficient of H2O to 2 balances the equation with equal numbers of hydrogen and oxygen atoms on both sides of the reaction.

Uploaded by

Mervyn Mlilo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Balancing Equations Notes:

Chemical equations must be balanced on both sides according


to the Law of Conservation of Mass, which says that matter
cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, atoms that are
present on one side of the equation must be present on the other
side as well.

Example:
H2 + O2  H2O
Reactant Product

This equation is unbalanced. Count your atoms on each side!

Reactant side (left):


H=2
O=2
Product side (right):
H=2
O=1

*To balance an equation, you can ONLY change the


coefficient (the big number) at the front of the compound!

We can add a coefficient of 2 in front of the H2O to get 2 O’s.


It will look like this 2H2O
*The coefficient gets multiplied with the subscripts* so then we
have 4 hydrogens.
Let’s recount our atoms again!

H2 + O2  2H2O

Reactant side:
H=2
O=2
Product side:
H=4
O=2

The equation is still unbalanced. Remember we can ONLY


change the coefficient.
How about add a coefficient of 2 in front of the H2.
*The coefficient gets multiplied with the subscripts* so you
have 4 hydrogens.

Let’s recount our atoms again!

2H2 + O2  2H2O

Reactant side:
H=4
O=2
Product side:
H=4
O=2

The new balanced equation: 2H2 + O2  2H2O

You might also like