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Chem12 C1101 SWBS

This document provides information about chemical reactions and balancing chemical equations. It begins with an introduction to chemical equations, including how they show reactants and products, and defines a skeleton equation. It then discusses balancing chemical equations according to the law of conservation of mass. Examples are given of balancing equations by adding coefficients to get equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides. The document concludes with practice problems for the student to balance chemical equations.

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Ahmad asa
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96 views

Chem12 C1101 SWBS

This document provides information about chemical reactions and balancing chemical equations. It begins with an introduction to chemical equations, including how they show reactants and products, and defines a skeleton equation. It then discusses balancing chemical equations according to the law of conservation of mass. Examples are given of balancing equations by adding coefficients to get equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides. The document concludes with practice problems for the student to balance chemical equations.

Uploaded by

Ahmad asa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chemical Reactions

REACTIONS

11.1 Describing Chemical


Reactions
Essential Understanding Chemical reactions are represented by balanced chemical
equations.

Lesson Summary
Introduction to Chemical Equations A chemical equation uses symbols, and
sometimes words, to show the reactants and products of a chemical reaction.
A skeleton equation uses chemical formulas to represent reactants and products, but it
does not indicate the relative amounts of each.
Anything that enters into a reaction, such as heat or a catalyst, but is not a reactant or
product is shown above or below the yields arrow in the equation.

Balancing Chemical Equations Chemical equations are balanced to show that mass is
conserved during chemical reactions.
A balanced equation shows the relative amounts of reactants and products, and it
contains equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.
Chemical equations are balanced by using coefficients in front of the chemical formulas
for the reactants and the products in a skeleton equation.

BUILD Math Skills


Balancing Equations All chemical equations must be balanced
because of the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter
cannot be created or destroyed. So, the number of atoms that you
start with at the beginning of the reaction must equal the number
of atoms that you end up with.
For example, the reaction 2Mg + O2 → 2MgO follows the law of
conservation of mass because you start with 2 magnesium atoms and
2 oxygen atoms and you end up with 2 magnesium atoms and 2 oxygen
atoms. You can think of the → as an = sign.

Turn the page to learn more about balancing equations.

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When balancing an equation, there are a few rules to remember:


The subscripts of the molecules can never be altered. Only coefficients can be added.
The coefficient placed in front of a molecule applies to all elements that make up
that molecule.
The number of atoms can be found by multiplying the coefficient by the subscript of the
element. If no subscript appears, a subscript of 1 should be assumed.
Molecules made up of many elements should have coefficients added first, with single
elements remaining until last.
If a molecule is placed in a parentheses with a subscript outside the parentheses, the
subscript applies to all elements within the parentheses. If an element within the parentheses
has a subscript, then you will multiply the subscripts to get the number of atoms.

Sample Problem Balance this equation: N2 + H2 → NH3.

First, add a coefficient to the molecule that contains


the most elements. Because there are 2 nitrogen
N2 + H2 → 2NH3
atoms in N2, add a coefficient 2 in front of NH3 so that
the number of nitrogen atoms on each side are equal.

Next, look at how many hydrogen atoms are


present. Hydrogen has a coefficient of 2 and a N2 + H2 → 2NH3
subscript of 3. So, 2 × 3 = 6 hydrogen atoms.

Since 6 hydrogen atoms are present on the right


side of the equation, the left side must be balanced N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3
by adding a coefficient of 3.

Finally, check that the number of atoms for each


element are equal on both sides of the equation.
(reactants) → (products)
N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3
N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3
2 N atoms + 6 H atoms = 2 N atoms + 6 H atoms (balanced)
Both sides are equal!

Now it’s your turn to practice balancing chemical equations. Remember that you will multiply
the coefficients by the subscripts to get the total number of atoms.
1. Balance the equation for the reaction of benzene and hydrogen to form cyclohexane.
C6H6 + H2 → C6H12

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2. Balance the equation for ethane, C2H6, burning in oxygen to form carbon dioxide
and steam.
C2H6 + O2 → CO2 + H2 O
3. Balance this chemical equation.
Fe2O3 + H2SO4 → Fe2(SO4)3 + H2 O
4. Balance the equation for aluminum burning in oxygen to form aluminum oxide.
Al + O2 → Al2O3
5. Balance the equation for ammonium carbonate so that it breaks down into gaseous
ammonia, carbon dioxide, and steam.
(NH4)2CO3 → NH3 + CO2 + H2 O

After reading Lesson 11.1, answer the following questions.

Introduction to Chemical Equations


6. A chemical reaction occurs when one or more change into one or
more new substances called .
7. The arrow in a reaction means .
8. Is the following sentence true or false? When there are two or more reactants or
products, they are separated by an arrow.
9. Write a word equation that describes the following reactions.
a. Acetylene reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

b. When heated, mercury(II) oxide chemically changes to form mercury and oxygen.

10. What is a chemical equation?

11. A chemical reaction that shows only the formulas but not the relative amounts of the
reactants and products is a(n) .
12. Identify the reactant(s) and product(s) in the chemical equation Li + Br 2 → LiBr.
a. reactant(s) b. product(s)
13. Circle the letter of each statement that is true about a catalyst.
a. A catalyst is the new material produced as a result of a chemical reaction.
b. A catalyst is not used up in a chemical reaction.
c. A catalyst adds heat to a chemical reaction.
d. A catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction.

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14. Use the symbols in Table 11.1 to write a skeleton equation for the following chemical
reaction. Hydrochloric acid reacts with zinc to produce aqueous zinc(II) chloride and
hydrogen gas.

Balancing Chemical Equations


15. What is the law of conservation of mass?

16. Complete the flowchart for balancing equations.

Determine the correct formulas and physical states for the and
.

Write a with the formulas for the reactants on the left and
the formulas for the products on the right of a yields sign (→).

Count the number of of each element in the reactants and in


the products.

Balance the number of atoms of the elements on the two sides of the equation by
placing in front of formulas. Never try to balance an equation
by changing the in formulas.

Check each atom or polyatomic ion to be sure the equation is ,


and make sure that all coefficients are in the possible ratio.

17. Balance the following chemical equations.


a. Na(s) + H2O(l) → NaOH(aq) + H2(g)
b. AgNO3(aq) + Zn(s) → Zn(NO3)2(aq) + Ag(s)

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