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The coefficient is the number that goes before the variable. In mathematics, this variable can be x, y, or any other letter. In chemistry, this variable is seen as the element name (e.g. Ca, Br, Cl). In chemistry, variables are used to balance out chemical equations.

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What do the subscript and coefficent in a chemical equation tell us?

The subscript in a chemical equation tells us the ratio of atoms of each element present in a compound. The coefficient tells us the number of molecules or formula units involved in the reaction.


What is the relation of Beers Lambert's law in UV Visible spectrometer?

The Beer-Lambert law Absorbance = (extinction coefficent)(pathlength of light)(concentration) allows you to measure the absorbance of sample in a UV spec, and change the rate from absorbance units / time to change in concentration / time. the pathlength of light being the width of the cuvette and the extinctin coefficent being specific to the product molecule.


What is the coefficent that shows in a chemical equation?

Equations for chemical reactions may require one or more whole-number coefficients in order for the equation to balance. Balancing a chemical equation upholds the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed. The coefficients represent molar ratios of reactants and products. Performing stoichiometric calculations is largely dependent upon these correct molar proportions.


Explain what a coefficient in a balanced chemical equation represents?

The coefficients in a chemical equation represent the amount of moles of each substance involved in the reaction. On a smaller level, it also represents the amount of particles that have to collide or are produced in the reaction. Consider the following example: CH4(g) + 2O2(g) (arrow) 2H2O(l) + CO2(g) The coefficent behind oxygen in the reactants means that 2 molecules of oxygen have to collide with 1 molecules of methane to react. The coefficients in the products mean that this reaction produces 2 molecules of water and 1 molecule of carbon dioxide.


What is the chemical combination of symbols that represents a compound?

Each element is given a symbol (a letter or a pair of letters where the first one is always a capitol letter and the second one is always a small letter). For instance the letter for Hydrogen is an 'H' and for Oxygen is an 'O'. When describing the formula for a chemical compound you use these symbols to say what elements it is made of and you follow each element with a number if there is more than one atom of that element in the compound. For instance water is made of one atom of Oxygen and two atoms of Hydrogen and therefore its chemical formula is: H2O