CHEMICAL REACTION:

TYPES AND BALANCING

© 2008 Brooks/Cole 1
 Chemical Equations
Reactants Products
yeast
C6H12O6(aq) 2 C2H5OH(l) + 2 CO2(g)
glucose ethanol carbon dioxide

Conditions may be shown over the arrow. e.g.

heat (Δ) reflux catalyst present (yeast)

Physical states are often listed:

(g) gas (s) solid
(l) liquid (aq) aqueous (dissolved in water)

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 Chemical Equations
Balanced equations obey the law of conservation of
mass (Lavoisier 1789).
“Mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.”

2 C2H6(g) + 7 O2(g) 4 CO2(g) + 6 H2O(l)

Nanoscale 2 molecules 7 molecules 4 molecules 6 molecules
Macroscale 2 moles 7 moles 4 moles 6 moles

2(30.0)= 60.0 g 7(32.0)= 224.0 g 4(44.0)= 176.0 g 6(18.0)= 108.0 g

284.0 g 284.0 g
C2H6 molar mass O2 molar mass

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 Chemical Equations
Stoichiometry
The relationship between the number of reactant and
product molecules in a chemical equation.

CaCO3(s) + 2 HNO3(aq)

Ca(NO3)2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

A stoichiometric
coefficient

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 Combination Reactions

+
X Z XZ

Element plus halogen or O2:

2 Mg(s) + O2(g)  2 MgO(s)
I2(s) + Zn(s)  ZnI2(s)

There are other types:

2 SO2(g) + O2(g)  2 SO3(g)

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 Decomposition Reactions
+
XZ X Z
Often initiated by heat:
800 - 1000°C
CaCO3(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g)

heat
2 KNO3(s) 2 KNO2(s) + O2(g)

Occasionally by shock:
4 C3H5(NO3)3(l)
12 CO2(g) + 10 H2O(l) + 6 N2(g) + O2(g)
nitroglycerin

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 Decomposition Reactions

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 Displacement Reactions
+ +
A XZ AZ X

Some metals displace another metal from its salt

Fe(s) + CuSO4(aq) FeSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Zn(s) + 2 AgNO3(aq) Zn(NO3)2(aq) + 2 Ag(s)

Some other examples:

F2(g) + 2 LiCl(s) 2 LiF(s) + Cl2(g)
2 Na(s) + 2 H2O(l) 2 NaOH(aq) + H2(g)

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 Displacement Reactions

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 Exchange Reactions
+ +
AD XZ AZ XD

AgNO3(aq) + HCl(aq) → AgCl(s) + HNO3(aq)

Pb(NO3)2(aq) + K2CrO4(aq)
→ PbCrO4(s) + 2 KNO3(aq)

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 Balancing Chemical Equations
1. Write an unbalanced equation with correct
formulas for all substances.

2. Balance the atoms of one element.

a. Start with the most complex molecule
b. Change the coefficients in front of the molecules
c. Do NOT alter the chemical formulas

3. Balance the remaining elements.

4. Check the atoms are all balanced.

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 Balancing Chemical Equations
Balance : Al + Fe2O3 Al2O3 + Fe

step 1 Al + Fe2O3 Al2O3 + Fe

1 Al (2Fe + 3O) (2Al + 3O) 1Fe
not balanced
not balanced

step 2 Al + Fe2O3 Al2O3 + 2 Fe

1 Al (2Fe + 3O) (2Al + 3O) 2Fe
balanced
not balanced

step 3 2 Al + Fe2O3 Al2O3 + 2 Fe

2Al (2Fe + 3O) (2Al + 3O) 2Fe
step 4 – balanced
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 Balancing Chemical Equations
Combustion of rocket fuel:
C2H8N2 + N2O4 N2 + H2O + CO2
2C + 8H + 4N + 4O 1C + 2H + 2N + 3O
not balanced

Balance C and N in C2H8N2 first:

C2H8N2 + N2O4 N2 + 4 H2O + 2 CO2
2C + 8H + 4N + 4O 2C + 8H + 2N + 8O
Still not balanced. Adjust N and O

C2H8N2 + 2 N2O4 3 N2 + 4 H2O + 2 CO2

Balanced

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 Balancing Chemical Equations
Polyatomic ion on both sides of an equation?
• Balance as “units”.
NaNO3(s) + H2SO4(aq) Na2SO4(aq) + HNO3(aq)
Na + NO3 + 2H + SO4 2Na + SO4 + H + NO3
not balanced
Balance Na in Na2SO4
2 NaNO3(s) + H2SO4(aq) Na2SO4(aq) + HNO3(aq)
2Na + 2NO3 + 2H + SO4 2Na + SO4 + H + NO3
not balanced

2 NaNO3(s) + H2SO4(aq) Na2SO4(aq) + 2 HNO3(aq)

2Na + 2NO3 + 2H + SO4 2Na + SO4 + 2H + 2NO3
balanced
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 The Mole and Chemical Reactions

2 C2H6 (g) + 7 O2 (g) 4 CO2(g) + 6 H2O (l)

2 moles of C2H6 react with 7 moles of O2

2 moles of C2H6 produce 4 moles of CO2
2 mol C2H6 ≡ 7 mol O2
2 mol C2H6 ≡ 4 mol CO2 etc.

Mole ratios:
2 mol C2H6 7 mol O2
=1 2 mol C2H6 =1
7 mol O2

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