Why can't a subscript in a formula of a chemical compound change when balancing an equation?

Answer 1

Changing the subscripts changes the compounds in the reaction. You cannot do that---you can only change how many of each compound react.

Answer 2

Answer 1

To balance an equation means that there are the same number of each element on each side. The reason a subscript cannot change is that it represents the amount of an element within a certain compound in relation to any other elements. If that ratio changes, it is no longer the same compound. Changing a subscript changes a formula so that it no longer stands for the correct substance.

Answer 2

The point of balancing an equation is to find the ratios in which chemicals will react or be produced. By changing the equation, you change the reaction. Therefore you are not trying to balance the same reaction.

Answer 3

A balanced chemical equation is the standard way of writing equations for chemical reactants because it follows the LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS.

Because there is a total of four atoms in the reactants, a total of four atoms must be in the products.

Answer 4

Changing the subscripts changes the compounds in the reaction. A subscript in the formula can not be changed when balancing an equation because changing a subscript would make the formula describe a different compound, or rather more likely a non-existent compound.

Answer 5

If the subscript of the element while balancing is changed, then the entire molecule gets changed !

For eg: Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 are entirely different compounds with diff. properties, colour , magnetic behaviour etc. This would basically be changing the element altogether. Think about the difference between O2 and O3. O2 is regular oxygen-the air we breathe. O3, on the other hand, is what makes up the ozone. so, instead of changing O2 to O6, you put 3O2 to say that you have three O2 atoms, not an O6 atom. I hope I was able to clarify that.

Answer 6

The subscripts represent the number of atoms of each element in each chemical formula-if you change the subscripts, you change the compounds the formulas are describing.

Answer 3

When balancing a chemical equation, you cannot change the subscripts in the chemical formulas, because that would be changing the identities of the substances in the equation. Each substance has its own unique chemical formula including specific subscripts for specific elements. What you can do when balancing a chemical equation, is to change the amount of a substance by adding a coefficient in front of its chemical formula.

Answer 4

Subscripts in a formula represent the number of atoms of each element in a compound, and they cannot be changed when balancing an equation because that would alter the chemical makeup of the compound. Balancing equations involves adjusting coefficients in front of the compound, not changing the subscripts within the compound.

Answer 5

Both a balanced equation and a recipe give quantitative information about the starting and the end materials.