Equation Balancing
Chemical equation balancing is fundamental to chemistry. Learn how to balance equations using the law of conservation of mass, ensuring atoms of each element are equal on both sides of the reaction.
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Study Tips
- ✓Start by balancing elements that appear in only one reactant and one product
- ✓Balance polyatomic ions as a unit when they appear unchanged on both sides
- ✓Leave hydrogen and oxygen for last as they often appear in multiple compounds
- ✓Double-check your work by counting atoms of each element on both sides
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistakes in equation balancing include changing subscripts instead of coefficients, forgetting to multiply coefficients through to all atoms in a compound, and not balancing polyatomic ions as units. Remember: coefficients multiply everything in the formula.
Equation Balancing FAQs
Common questions about equation balancing
Coefficients are numbers placed before chemical formulas that indicate how many molecules or formula units are involved. Subscripts are numbers within the formula that indicate how many atoms of an element are in one molecule. Only coefficients can be changed when balancing equations.
Chemical equations must be balanced because of the Law of Conservation of Mass - atoms cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. The same number of each type of atom must exist before and after the reaction.
When a polyatomic ion appears unchanged on both sides of the equation, treat it as a single unit. Count and balance the entire ion rather than its individual atoms. This makes balancing much simpler.
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