BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

Vocabulary:
1) reactant =
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2) product =
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3) chemical equation =
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4) coefficient =
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5) catalyst =
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6) diatomic molecules = H O N Cl F I Br = elements that appear in groups of 2 when by themselves.
Steps:
1) USE PENCIL!
2) Write correct formulas for ALL species involved using subscripts &/or parentheses.
3) Add state symbols: (s), (l), (g), and (aq)
4) Note the # of each type of atom that you have on each side. Add COEFFICIENTS to change
the numbers. YOU MAY NOT ADD/CHANGE SUBSCRIPTS, only coefficients. Coefficients get
placed OUT IN FRONT of substances and get MULTIPLIED times the subscripts to determine #.
5) HINTS Try balancing elements that appear only once on each side first.
Wait to balance Oxygen and Hydrogen until last.
If polyatomic ions appear unchanged on both sides, treat as one thing
6) Double check that everything is still balanced after all coefficients are added.