Chemical Reactions and Balancing Chemical Equations

It has been always a terrible headache for most of the students to learn about chemical equations and balancing.

But actually, it is very easy to understand and balance.

This would be a helpful blog to all teachers and parents, to teach their children, "how to Balance Chemical Equations?"

Lets start with,

Students love to play. You can teach balancing chemical equations in a very simple manner with this.

What is a Chemical Equation ? 

A and are different compounds in chemistry. Let us assume A as red color and B as yellow color. When both join, it forms AB (orange color). This is termed as chemical reaction. Equation formed from this reaction A + B = AB is chemical equation.

Balancing Chemical Equations : 

The number of compounds in LHS must be equal to the number of compounds in RHS. IT is known as balancing equaton.

Consider the above example, we have 1 A, 1 B in LHS. Similarly, 1 A and 1 B in RHS. Hence, it is a balanced equation.

If LHS is not equal to RHS, it is unbalanced equation.

Why Chemical Equations should be Balanced?

• A chemical equation needs to be balanced in order to obey the “Law of Conservation of Energy”.
• Law of Conservation of Energy states that matter can never be created, nor destroyed.
• Hence, we balance equations by adding coeffiecients in front of reactants and products.

Before starting to balance equations, let us learn some reules and steps in order to balance,

Rules  : 

• Only the coefficients should be changed. 
• Subscripts should not be changed. Changing it will change the compound. 
• The lowest possible whole number should be used as coefficients.

There are four steps to be followed, let us consider it with an example,

Step 1 : Write the Formula for the equation.

H2  + O2 = H2O

Step 2 : Compare the number of atoms in left side with the right side. 

 LHS            RHS

H = 2             H= 2, 

  O= 2              O =1    

Step 3 : Analyse where to place the coefficients, so as to make left and right side equal.

 In order to balance, we now add 2 to the RHS, making it as 2H2O, Now, equation becomes as

H2  + O2 = 2H2O

 LHS            RHS

H = 2             H= 4, 

O= 2              O =2 

H is not equal , hence add 2 to the H of LHS, forming

2H2  + O2 = 2H2O

Step 4 : Verify finally, if all the atoms in left and right side are equal.

 LHS            RHS

H = 4             H= 4, 

O= 2              O =2 

Hence, it is balanced.

Make it more easier to balance, with online chemical equation balancer.