A balanced chemical equation is a representation of a chemical reaction that shows the same number of atoms of each element on both the reactant and product sides. In a balanced equation, the principle of conservation of mass is upheld, meaning that the total mass of the reacting substances is equal to the total mass of the products formed.
The key features of a balanced chemical equation include:
Reactants and Products: The chemical equation begins with the representation of the reactants on the left side of the arrow and the products on the right side.
Chemical Formulas: The chemical formulas of the substances involved in the reaction are used to represent the reactants and products. These formulas indicate the types and numbers of atoms in each compound or element.
Coefficients: Coefficients are the numerical values placed in front of chemical formulas to balance the equation. These coefficients represent the stoichiometric coefficients and indicate the ratio in which reactants and products combine or are produced.
Balancing Process: The process of balancing a chemical equation involves adjusting the coefficients to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This is achieved by changing the coefficients, but not the subscripts within chemical formulas.
Here’s an example of an unbalanced chemical equation and its balanced form:
Unbalanced Equation: CH4+O2→CO2+H2OCH4​+O2​→CO2​+H2​O
Balanced Equation: CH4+2O2→CO2+2H2OCH4​+2O2​→CO2​+2H2​O
In the balanced equation, coefficients of 1 and 2 have been added to ensure that the number of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is the same on both sides.
Balancing chemical equations is a fundamental skill in chemistry, as it ensures that the reaction obeys the law of conservation of mass, and it provides valuable information about the quantitative aspects of the chemical reaction.