Midway Middle School
Chemical Reactions often cause observable changes
Color Odor Release or Absorption of Heat Release or Absorption of Light Release of Gas
Examples of Physical Changes *Melting ice *Dissolving salt *Cutting paper
*No new product is formed *Substance just physically appears different
Examples of Chemical Changes *Color change *Heat absorbed or released *Formation of gas
*Elements are made of only one kind of atom *Elements are all listed on the periodic table Examples of elements: Oxygen – O Iron – Fe Sodium - Na
*Compounds are made of two or more elements chemically combined Examples of compounds: Water – H 2 O Baking soda – NaHCO 3 Carbon dioxide – CO 2
NaHCO 3 This is the chemical formula for baking soda. *How many elements are there? 4 Sodium(Na) Hydrogen(H) Carbon(C) Oxygen(O )
NaHCO 3 This is the chemical formula for baking soda. *How many total atoms are there? Sodium(Na) 1 - Hydrogen(H) 1 - Carbon(C) 3 - Oxygen(O )
Matter can NOT be created Nor can it be destroyed Chemical Equations MUST balance
The same number of atoms of each element must be in the products that were in the reactants of a chemical equation. Example: ReactantsProduct
Chemical reactions are represented on paper by chemical equations. Example: 2 hydrogen gas (2H 2 ) can react (burn) with oxygen gas (O 2 ) to form 2 water molecules(H 2 0).
yields subscript
Why do Chemical Equations have to balance?
Is this a balanced equation? Yes atoms in = atoms out
Balance the following equation:
We seem to be o.k. with our number of (C)carbon atoms in both the reactants and products But, we have only half the (H)hydrogen in our products as in our reactants.
2
*This has balanced our (C)carbon and (H)hydrogen atoms *But, we now have 4 (O)oxygen atoms in our products, and only have 2 in our reactants.
2
We have a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of methane with oxygen.