1. Balancing Equations
Target 4-3

2. Balanced Equations
An equation is balanced if EACH element has the same number of atoms on both sides of the equation (products and reactants)
This is important because it shows that atoms don’t just “appear” – they only get rearranged in the reaction

3. How to Balance an Equation
Start with an atom count (use a particle diagram for now)
Remember that coefficients tell us how many copies of each molecule we have (no coefficient = 1)
Change coefficients to make copies of molecules to even out the elements **do NOT change subscripts!**

4. Tips and Tricks Focus on 1 element at a time
Increase the side with less
Re-count every time you make a change
Coefficients apply to the whole molecule, so multiple elements might change!