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Chemical reactions are balanced with
coefficients until the numbers of each atom are equal on
the left and the right.
The Law of Conservation of Mass
The Law of Conservation of Mass states that the mass of the
reactants equal the mass of the products. Atoms cannot be created
nor destroyed in a chemical change�therefore, the number of each
type of atom on each side of the reaction must be equal.
Coefficients are used to balance chemical reactions.
Choosing which atom to start with
Start with elements that appear only one time on each side and
elements that are in the most complex compounds. End with elements
that appear more than once on a side or elements that appear
uncombined on one side or the other.
Inspection method of balancing
The Inspection Method is used to balance the simplest reactions. It
includes:
- Make a list of the elements in the reaction
- Count the number of each type of atom on each side of
the reaction
- Add coefficients to balance the number of atoms
- Determine the total charge of each side of the reaction
and use coefficients to balance charge.
- When all elements and charge are balanced, place a �1�
in any empty coefficient location to indicate that you�re
done.
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