Balancing chemical equations
Balanced equations…….atoms can’t be created or destroyed
All the atoms we start with must end up with….- the same number of each element on both
sides of the equation.
C+O
2
→ CO
2
This equation is already balanced...but…
What if it wasn't balanced?
C+O
2
→ CO
We need one more oxygen in the product
Can’t change the formula, because it describes what it is
It MUST
have started with two “C’s”
2C + O
2
→ 2CO
RULES FOR BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
Write the correct formulas for all the reactants and products
Count the number of atoms of each type appearing on both sides
Balancing the elements one at a time by adding coefficients (the numbers in front)
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- Spring '18
