Balancing a Chemical

Equation
What are Balanced and Unbalanced
Equations
 A balanced equation is an equation for a chemical reaction
 in which the number of atoms for each element in the
reaction and the total charge is the same for both the 
reactants and the products. In other words, the mass and
the charge are balanced on both sides of the reaction.
 While, an unbalanced chemical equation lists the reactants
and products in a chemical reaction but doesn't state the
amounts required to satisfy the conservation of mass.
 Balancing a Chemical Equation
Because the identities of the reactants and products are fixed,
the equation cannot be balanced by changing the subscripts of the reactants
or the products. To do so would change the chemical identity of the species
being described, as illustrated in the figure.
Methods for Balancing Chemical
Equations
“
Inspection
 The simplest and most generally useful method for balancing chemical equations is “inspection,”
better known as trial and error. The following is an efficient approach to balancing a chemical
equation using this method.
The Algebraic Balancing Method
 This method of balancing chemical equations involves assigning algebraic variables as
stoichiometric coefficients to each species in the unbalanced chemical equation. These
variables are used in mathematical equations and are solved to obtain the values of each
stoichiometric coefficient.
Steps in Balancing a Chemical Equation

1. Identify the most complex substance.

2. Beginning with that substance, choose an element(s) that appears in only one
reactant and one product, if possible. Adjust the coefficients to obtain the same
number of atoms of this element(s) on both sides.
3. Balance polyatomic ions (if present on both sides of the chemical equation) as a
unit.
4. Balance the remaining atoms, usually ending with the least complex substance
and using fractional coefficients if necessary. If a fractional coefficient has been
used, multiply both sides of the equation by the denominator to obtain whole
numbers for the coefficients.
5. Count the numbers of atoms of each kind on both sides of the equation to be
sure that the chemical equation is balanced.
Examples of Balancing Chemical
Equations
  CO2 + H2O → C6H12O6 + O2
First,
 6CO2 + H2O → C6H12O6 + O2
Next,
 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + O2
Now or lastly,
 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Examples of Balancing Chemical
Equations
 SiCl4 + H2O → H4SiO4 + HCl
First,
 SiCl4 + H2O → H4SiO4 + 4HCl
Next,
 SiCl4 + 4H2O → H4SiO4 + 4HCl
Last,
 SiCl4 + 4H2O → H4SiO4 + 4HCl
Examples of Balancing Chemical
Equations
  Al + HCl → AlCl3 + H2

First,

 Al + 2HCl → AlCl3 + H2

Next,

 Al + 6HCl → 2AlCl3 + H2

Then,

 2Al + 6HCl → 2AlCl3 + H2

Last,

 2Al + 6HCl → 2AlCl3 + 3H2