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Balancing Chemical Equations Notes and Practice Problems Worksheet

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Balancing Chemical Equations Notes and Practice Problems Worksheet

Uploaded by

doyleamanda3
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Page!

1 Class Set: Form 4

BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS


Balancing a chemical equation is an important skill in chemistry that helps us understand the relationships between
different elements and compounds in a reaction. Here's a step-by-step guide to balancing a chemical equation:

STEP 1 Write the Chemical Equation

Start by writing the chemical equation for the reaction you want to balance. A chemical equation shows the reactants on
the left side and the products on the right side, separated by an arrow. For example, let's consider the reaction between
hydrogen gas (H₂) and oxygen gas (O₂) to produce water (H₂O):

H₂ + O₂ → H₂O

STEP 2 Count the Number of Atoms on Each Side

Next, count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. This includes the atoms in both the
reactants and the products. Make a list of the atoms and their counts for each element. For our example, we have:

H: 2 atoms on the left side, 2 atoms on the right side


O: 2 atoms on the left side, 1 atom on the right side

STEP 3 Choose an Element to Start Balancing

Select an element that appears in more than one molecule on either side of the equation. In our example, oxygen (O) is a
good choice because it appears in two molecules on the left side and one molecule on the right side.

H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O

STEP 4 Add Coefficients

To balance the number of oxygen atoms, add a coefficient (a number in front of the molecule) to the molecule(s) that
contain the element you chose. The coefficient multiplies the number of atoms in that molecule. In our example, we can
balance oxygen by adding a coefficient of 2 in front of the water molecule:

H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O

1.
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STEP 5 Check the Balance

After adding the coefficient, check if the equation is balanced. Go back and count the atoms of the element you just
balanced and verify that they are now equal on both sides.

H: 2 atoms on the left side, 4 atoms on the right side


O: 2 atoms on the left side, 4 atom on the right side

STEP 6 Continue Balancing

If the equation is not yet balanced, repeat steps 3 to 5 for another element until all elements are balanced on both sides.
In this case, both hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are balanced, and our final balanced equation is:

2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O

Congratulations!
You have successfully balanced the chemical equation for the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water. This
balanced equation shows that 2 molecules of hydrogen gas and 1 molecule of oxygen gas react to produce 2 molecules of
water.

Examples:

Na + I₂ → NaI S + O₂ → SO₃ H₂O₂ → + H₂O + O₂

2Na + I₂ → 2NaI 2S + 3O₂ → 2SO₃ 2H₂O₂ → + 2H₂O + O₂

N₂ + H₂ → NH₃ Na + H₂O → NaOH + H₂

N₂ + 3H₂ → 2NH₃ 2Na + 2H₂O → 2NaOH + H₂

2.
!"#$% 3 Date: Class Set:

BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS


Balancing chemical equations is a fundamental skill in chemistry and helps scientists understand how matter behaves
during chemical reactions. Keep practicing, and you'll become a pro at balancing equations in no time!

CH₄ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O


K
I
+
C
l
₂
→
K
C
l
+
I
₂
HCl + Ca(OH)₂ → CaCl₂ + H₂O

K₃PO₄ + HCl → KCl + H₃PO₄

CaSO₄ + AlBr₃ → CaBr₂ + Al₂(SO₄)₃

Mg(NO₃)₂ + K₃PO₄ → Mg₃(PO₄)₂ + KNO₃

3.

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