A chemical equation describes what happens in a chemical reaction. The equation identifies the reactants (starting materials) and products (resulting substance), the formulas of the participants, the phases of the participants (solid, liquid, gas), and the amount of each substance. Balancing a chemical equation refers to establishing the mathematical relationship between the quantity of reactants and products. The quantities are expressed as grams or moles. It takes practice to be able to write balanced equations. There are essentially three steps to the process: Worked Example Problem Tin oxide is heated with hydrogen gas to form tin metal and water vapor. Write the balanced equation that describes this reaction. Worksheets for Practicing Balancing Equations Here are some worksheets with answers you can download and print to practice balancing equations: Balance Equations with Mass and Charge Some chemical reactions involve ions, so you need to balance them for charge as well as mass. Similar steps are involved.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 13:03:34 +0000