Writing and balancing chemical equations

Answer 1

1. Write the unbalanced equation.
   • Chemical formulas of reactants are listed on the lefthand side of the equation.
   • Products are listed on the righthand side of the equation.
   • Reactants and products are separated by putting an arrow between them to show the direction of the reaction. Reactions at equilibrium will have arrows facing both directions.
2. Balance the equation.
   • Apply the Law of Conservation of Mass to get the same number of atoms of every element on each side of the equation. Tip: Start by balancing an element that appears in only one reactant and product.
   • Once one element is balanced, proceed to balance another, and another, until all elements are balanced.
   • Balance chemical formulas by placing coefficients in front of them. Do not add subscripts, because this will change the formulas.
3. Indicate the states of matter of the reactants and products.
   • Use (g) for gaseous substances.
   • Use (s) for solids.
   • Use (l) for liquids.
   • Use (aq) for species in solution in water.
   • Write the state of matter immediately following the formula of the substance it describes.

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.

1. Write the unbalanced equation.

   SnO2 + H2 → Sn + H2O

   Refer to Table of Common Polyatomic Ions and Formulas of Ionic Compounds if you have trouble writing the chemical formulas of the products and reactants.

2. Balance the equation.

   Look at the equation and see which elements are not balanced. In this case, there are two oxygen atoms on the lefthand side of the equation and only one on the righthand side. Correct this by putting a coefficient of 2 in front of water:

   SnO2 + H2 → Sn + 2 H2O

   This puts the hydrogen atoms out of balance. Now there are two hydrogen atoms on the left and four hydrogen atoms on the right. To get four hydrogen atoms on the right, add a coefficient of 2 for the hydrogen gas. Remember, coefficients are multipliers, so if we write 2 H2O it denotes 2x2=4 hydrogen atoms and 2x1=2 oxygen atoms.

   SnO2 + 2 H2 → Sn + 2 H2O

   The equation is now balanced. Be sure to double-check your math! Each side of the equation has 1 atom of Sn, 2 atoms of O, and 4 atoms of H.

3. Indicate the physical states of the reactants and products.

   To do this, you need to be familiar with the properties of various compounds or you need to be told what the phases are for the chemicals in the reaction. Oxides are solids, hydrogen forms a diatomic gas, tin is a solid, and the term 'water vapor' indicates that water is in the gas phase:

   SnO2(s) + 2 H2(g) → Sn(s) + 2 H2O(g)

Answer 2

When writing chemical equations, start by writing out the reactants and products, ensuring the law of conservation of mass is followed. Balance the equation by adjusting the coefficients in front of each molecule until there are an equal number of atoms of each element on both sides. It may be helpful to balance atoms that appear in only one molecule first, and then move on to more complex molecules.