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What is a chemical equation?

It is an equation used to describe what happens during a chemical reaction. The equation identifies the reactants (on the left of the equation) and products (on the right of the equation) of the reaction. The chemicals can be represented by their names or by their chemical symbols.

What are reactants?

Chemicals that are allowed to react (starting materials) Placed on left side of the equation

Step 1: Identify the reactants and products to write the word equation. Example: Formation of water

What are products?

Chemicals produced in the reaction (resulting substances) Placed on right side of the equation

Reactants: Oxygen and Hydrogen Product: Water +

LHS RHS Word Equation

Step 2: Write the chemical formula under each reactant and product. Example: Formation of water Oxygen + Hydrogen Water O2 + H2 H 2O

Step 3: Check if the equation is balanced. Example: Formation of water Oxygen + Hydrogen Water O2 + H2 H2O

LHS No. of O = 2 No. of H = 2

RHS No. of O = 1 No. of H = 2

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Step 4: If it is not balanced, place coefficients in front of each formula so that they are balanced. (Recheck that the atoms are now balanced) Example: Formation of water Oxygen + Hydrogen Water 2 H 2O O2 + 2 H2
LHS No. of O = 2 No. of H = 4 RHS No. of O = 2 No. of H = 4

The number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation must be the same. Why must we balance the equation?

Balanced!

Law of conservation of matter Matter is neither lost nor gained in traditional chemical reactions; it simply changes form the number of atoms of an element in the LHS must be the same as the RHS implies that mass is also conserved during a chemical reaction Thus, theres a need to balance the equation since total mass is conserved!

Is this correct? Example: Formation of water Oxygen + Hydrogen Water O2 + H2 H 2O 2

Does this still represent water?

LHS No. of O = 2 No. of H = 2

RHS No. of O = 2 No. of H = 2

Do not change the subscript of the formula as it becomes a different compound! Only change the number in front of the element/compound. (Changing the ratio) O2 + 2H2 O2 + H2 2H2O H2O2

Step 5: Use standard abbreviations to write the physical state next to each reactant and product. (s)=solid, (l)=liquid, (g)=gaseous, (aq) =aqueous or dissolved in water Example: Formation of water Oxygen + Hydrogen Water O2 (g)+ 2H2 (g) 2H2O (l)

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1) Formation of sodium chloride (table salt)

Na + Cl2 AgCO3

NaCl

Step 1: Identify the reactants and products to write the word equation. Step 2: Write the chemical formula under each reactant and product. Step 3: Check if the equation is balanced. Step 4: If it is not balanced, place coefficients in front of each formula so that they are balanced. (Recheck that the atoms are now balanced)

2) Thermal Decomposition of silver carbonate

Ag + CO2 + O2

All metals are denoted by their chemical symbol only (ie no subscripts) eg Zn, Fe, Al, Mg, Na All elements in Group VII are diatomic gases thus the formula is X2. eg F2, Cl2, Br2. Other diatomic molecules : O2, N2, H2

The formula of other molecules depend on their chemical names. eg sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide Common alkalis : NaOH , Ca(OH)2 Common acids : HCl , H2SO4, HNO3 Common names (used instead of chemical names): water , ammonia, methane
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Name Sulfuric acid Hydrochloric acid Nitric acid Carbonic acid Sulfurous acid Nitrous acid Phosphoric acid Phosphorus acid Acetic acid

Chemical formula H2SO4 Must know for HCl year 2 HNO3 Chemistry H2CO3 H2SO3 Other types HNO2 of acids for your general H3PO4 knowledge H3PO3 CH3COOH

1) Magnesium metal burns in chlorine gas to form magnesium chloride

2) Combustion of methane
Methane gas (CH4) burns in oxygen to give carbon dioxide and water

3) Iron (II) oxide (s) + carbon monoxide (g) iron (l) + carbon dioxide (g) 4) Aluminium + oxygen gas aluminium oxide