Balancing a Chemical Equation
If we write the chemical reaction in the form of equation then originally it is unbalanced. Hence we need to balance the chemical reaction to make the number of atoms equal on reactant and product side. The balancing of chemical reaction is done in following steps.
- Write the Initial Equation: Begin by writing the skeleton equation, which depicts the reactants and products. For example, in the reaction Li(s) + H2O(l) → H2(g) + LiOH(aq).
- Count Atoms in Reactants: Calculate the number of atoms of each element in the reactants. In this case, there is 1 lithium (Li), 2 hydrogen (H), and 1 oxygen (O) atom in the reactants.
- Count Atoms in Products: Determine the number of atoms of each element in the products. In this instance, there are 1 lithium (Li), 3 hydrogen (H), and 1 oxygen (O) atom in the products.
- Balance with Coefficients: Adjust the coefficients to ensure that the quantity of each element’s atoms is the same on both sides of the arrow. In this example, we would modify it to 2Li(s) + 2H2O(l) → H2(g) + 2LiOH(aq) to achieve this balance.
- Simplify the Coefficients: Write the coefficients in their simplest ratio, if possible. In this case, the coefficients are already in their simplest form.
- Double-Check Your Work: Always review our equation to ensure it’s correctly balanced and that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides of the arrow.
Chemical Reactions
Chemical Reaction is the disruption of existing bonds within reactant molecules and the creation of fresh bonds in product molecules, culminating in the formation of a new substance. These reactions are all around us, spanning from the biochemical processes in our bodies that extract energy from food to the source of sunlight, where chemical reactions are used to produce the light we receive.
In this article, we will understand the meaning and characteristics of Chemical Reactions. This article will cover the various types of Chemical Reactions: Combination or Synthesis Reaction, Decomposition Reaction, Single Displacement Reaction, and Double Displacement Reaction. We also discuss factors affecting the rate of Reaction and practice questions to understand this article.
Table of Content
- What is a Chemical Reaction?
- Characteristics of a Chemical Reaction
- How would we know when a Reaction has taken place?
- Chemical Equation
- Balancing a Chemical Equation
- Types of Chemical Reaction
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