HOW to BALANCE CHEMICAL EQUATIONS..

[wanabeastarstudent]

hey, how to balance chemical equations?? its sucks im doing IGCSE jst incase your wondering.. hmm please explain thanks alot...

[Vin]

Any specific equations in mind?

Usually list out ALL the elements in a reaction and write the 'number' of atoms for both left hand and the right hand side of the reaction. Try to keep them as whole and even numbers. SOme examples if you've got could help me explain better.

[Deadly_king]

hey, how to balance chemical equations?? its sucks im doing IGCSE jst incase your wondering.. hmm please explain thanks alot...

Like Vin said, initially you must sort out the elements involved in the reaction. You'll note that the same elements are presents on both sides(reactants and products).

Then you find the ratio at which the individual elements are found in the reaction(Ratio => reactants:products)

Now you see where and what you can multiply so as to obtain the ratio as one for all elements.

Lets take this as example :

N₂ + H₂ ---> NH₃

The elements present are N and H on both sides
       reactants(left) : Products (right)
N --->   2:1
H --->   2:3

Therefore we must see what we can multiply so that we make the ratio 1:1

The solution is to multiply hydrogen on the reactant(left side) by 3 and the molecule on the products(right) by 2.

Balanced equation is N₂ + 3H₂ ----> 2NH₃

Now you can check that the ratio is 1:1

NOTE : You can multiply a molecule as a whole. You have no right to multiply a single atom

Hope it helps