Balancing Chemical Equations
Representing Reactions as Equations
- Chemical equations use the chemical symbols of each reactant and product
- When balancing equations, there has to be the same number of atoms of each element on either side of the equation in accordance with the Law of Conservation of Mass
- The following nonmetals must be written as molecules: H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2 and I2
To balance an equation you work across the equation from left to right, checking one element after another - If there is a group of atoms, for example a nitrate group (NO3–) that has not changed from one side to the other, then count the whole group as one entity rather than counting the individual atoms
- Examples of chemical equations:
- Acid-base neutralisation reaction:
NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq) ⟶ NaCl (aq) + H2O (l) - Redox reaction:
2Fe2O3 (aq) + 3C (s) ⟶ 4Fe (s) + 3CO2 (g) - In each equation there are equal numbers of each atom on either side of the reaction arrow so the equations are balanced
- Acid-base neutralisation reaction:
- Examples of chemical equations:
Balancing Equations
- The best approach is to practice lot of examples of balancing equations
- By trial and error change the coefficients (multipliers) in front of the formulae, one by one checking the result on the other side
- Balance elements that appear on their own, last in the process
Worked example
Example 1
Balance the following equation:
aluminium + copper(II)oxide ⟶ aluminium oxide + copper
Unbalanced symbol equation:
Al + CuO ⟶ Al2O3 + Cu
Answer
Worked example
Example 2:
Balance the following equation:
magnesium oxide + nitric acid ⟶ magnesium nitrate + water
Unbalanced symbol equation:
MgO + HNO3 ⟶ Mg(NO3)2 + H2O
Answer