BALANCING CHEMICAL

EQUATIONS

Textbook reference pages 46 to 49

 Learning outcomes
 State and use word and symbol equations for chemical
reactions
 Construct balanced equations for known and unknown
reactions
 Deduce the quantities of reactants and products from
balanced equations using what you know about valence
shell electrons
 Starter questions
 How can we know how to predict the charge of
an ion?
 How can we work out the formula ionic
compounds?
Write out the formula for these compounds
 Important ions

1. Carbonate ion
2. Sulphate ion

3. Nitrate ion

4. Ammonium ion

Using the structural formula write out the

molecular formula for each of these ions
 Word and symbol equations
 Burning methane
 HCl and NaOH
 Reacting HCl with calcium carbonate
 Write a symbol equation for this reaction
Write a word and symbol equation for this
reaction
Write a BALANCED chemical equation
 Balancing equations
Hydrochloric acid + Calcium carbonate  Calcium
chloride + carbon dioxide + Water
 Write out these unbalanced symbol equations:

1. C3 H8 + O2  ?
2. HNO3 + Fe  Fe(NO3)2 + H2
3. H2 SO4 + NaOH  ?
Worked examples
 Writing chemical equations
Write out these word equations into fully balanced
chemical equations:

1. Methanol + Oxygen  Carbon dioxide + water

2. Hexane + Oxygen  Carbon dioxide + water
3. Chlorine + Ethene  Dichloroethane
4. Carbon dioxide + Water  Glucose + Oxygen