Unit 3: Chemical Equations and Stoichiometry Balancing Equations

Balancing Equations reactants  products Remember the law of conservation of mass? When a chemical reaction occurs, no atoms are created or just destroyed – they are just rearranged amount of each element on the left side (reactants) must equal the amount of the same element on the right side (products) reactants  products

Balancing Equations – The Steps! Put coefficients in front of each substance to get the quantities on the left side = the right side 2Na + Cl2  2NaCl Use the smallest whole number coefficients possible.

Balancing Equations - Hints Save oxygen for last Save hydrogen for 2nd to last

Balancing Equations Example #1 Now let’s balance this equation… __C3H8(g) + __O2(g)  __CO2(g) + __H2O(g)

Balancing Equations Practice #1 Balance the following chemical equation: __PbS2 + __O2  __PbO2 + __SO2