Generally just simple math and the fact that the product has to equal the reactant (except maybe in nuclear reactions)
Ex
_C6H12O6 + _O2 -> _CO2 + _H2O
1. Find the reactant molecule that is the only source of certain atoms in the products:
- Glucose (only source of carbon and hydrogen)
x O2 is not the only source of oxygen glucose has oxygen as well
2. Place a 1 in front of it
1C6H12O6 + _O2 -> _CO2 + _H2O
Now 1 glucose means that there are 6 Carbons and 12 Hydrogens
6 Carbons means that there are 6 carbon dioxides, 6CO2
12 Hydrogens means that there are 6 waters (6*2=12) , 6H2O
1C6H12O6 + _O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O
6 CO2 and 6H2O = 18 Oxygens
6 Oxygens are already in glucse
12 Oxygen remaining --> 6O2
1C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O
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Sometimes this method will give you fractions
_N2 + _H2 -> _NH3
_N2 + 1H2 -> _NH3
1H2 (2 Hydrogens) --> (2/3) NH3 (2Hydrogens)
Multiply both by the denominator
3H2 (6 Hydrogens) --> 2NH3 (6Hydrogens)
2NH3 --> 1N2
1N2 + 3H2 -> 2NH3
A reaction that has the same number and type of atoms on each side of the equation
The fundamental law is that 'matter can neither be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction'. This means that there has to be the same amount of matter on either side of the chemical equation, arranged differently, but the same number of atoms of each element involved in the reaction.
You have to balance the reaction in order to show the correct equation, which is: 2Mg + O2 -->2 MgO Chemical reactions neither create nor destroy atoms, so the number of atoms of each type in the reactants is the same as it is in the products.
Balance the number of atoms for each element on both sides of a chemical equation
The number of atoms in the reactants should equal the number of atoms in the products because the weight should be equal according to the Law of Conservation of Mass.
A reaction that has the same number and type of atoms on each side of the equation
Definitely NOT.
The correct answer is: A reaction that has the same number and type of atoms on each side of the equation.
It does not change
That depends on the nature of the reaction. For a typical reaction, it will be the subscript following the symbol of the element multiplied by the coefficient. For example, in Na2SO4 there will be 2 Na atoms, 1 S atom and 4 O atoms. If the reaction was 2 Na2SO4, there would be 4 Na atoms, 2 S atoms and 8 O atoms.
The fundamental law is that 'matter can neither be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction'. This means that there has to be the same amount of matter on either side of the chemical equation, arranged differently, but the same number of atoms of each element involved in the reaction.
The number of each type of atom on each side of the reaction equation must be the same. Take the equation and add numbers in front of each compound, multiplying the atoms in the compound by that number, like the distributive property in algebra. These numbers are added so that the numbers of each type of atom on both sides are equivalent.
You have to balance the reaction in order to show the correct equation, which is: 2Mg + O2 -->2 MgO Chemical reactions neither create nor destroy atoms, so the number of atoms of each type in the reactants is the same as it is in the products.
Balance the number of atoms for each element on both sides of a chemical equation
To construct an equation for a chemical reaction, put the reactants on the left, and the products on the right, and make sure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on each side.
The coefficient is a count of the number of molecules of each substance in a chemical process. The subscript is the number of atoms of an element in each molecule.
The number of atoms in the reactants should equal the number of atoms in the products because the weight should be equal according to the Law of Conservation of Mass.