What do we mean when we say a chemical equation is balanced? Why do we balance chemical equations?

When delving into the world of chemical reactions, it's essential to understand the foundational principle guiding these processes: the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law states that the mass of a closed system must remain constant over time. In other words, mass can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be rearranged in space or changed into different types of particles.

In the context of chemical equations, this means that during a reaction, the total mass of the reactants (the substances you start with) must be equal to the total mass of the products (the substances produced by the reaction). When a chemical equation is balanced, it accurately reflects this law by ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

Why is this important?

Not only does balancing an equation show that it honors the Law of Conservation of Mass, but it also ensures accurate stoichiometry calculations, which are critical when you're trying to predict yields of products or quantify reactant requirements for a given reaction.

A chemical reaction is a transformation that results in the change of composition of one or more substances. Such reactions are described by the reactants (starting materials) and products (end materials), and this transformation is usually depicted in the form of a chemical equation.

During a chemical reaction, bonds between atoms in the reactants break, and new bonds form in the products. This process can release or absorb energy, and may result in a variety of outcomes including the creation of new substances, changes in color or odor, the release of gases, or changes in temperature.

Example:

Combustion is a type of chemical reaction where a substance combines with oxygen to release energy in the form of heat and light, often producing carbon dioxide and water as products. Chemical reactions are abundant in biological processes, industrial applications, and even in the cooking of food!

In the universe of chemical equations, coefficients play a crucial role. Coefficients are the numbers placed in front of the chemical formulas in a chemical equation to indicate the number of molecules or atoms of each substance involved in the reaction. They tell us in what ratio the reactants combine and the products form, and are essential in balancing chemical equations.

A coefficient of 1 is typically not written in a chemical equation, as its absence is understood to represent a single molecule or atom. However, when balancing equations, the addition of coefficients becomes necessary to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is identical on both sides of the equation, aligning with the Law of Conservation of Mass.

How to use coefficients?

Adjusting coefficients is often a trial and error process to balance an equation. For example, in the formation of water (\(H_2O\)), the coefficient of hydrogen might be adjusted to 2 if we have 2 hydrogen atoms in products, ensuring that we have an equal amount of hydrogen on both sides of the equation.