Chemical Equation – Some Basic Concept

In this topic we will discuss Chemical Equation – Some Basic Concept along with probable question asked in the examination which helps to get a clear concept about this topic.

Topic

1.What is a chemical equation?

2.Example of Chemical equation

3.What are unbalanced equations?

4.Steps to balancing a chemical equation

1.What is a chemical equation

A chemical equation is a process of representing a chemical reaction with symbols and formulas.

2.Example of Chemical equation

Let us take an example of a chemical reaction –

HCL + NaOH ————> NaCl +H₂O

Reactant Product

We write the reactant on the left side by putting a plus (+) sign between them.

We write the products on the right side by putting a plus (+) sign between them.

A chemical equation is a short-hand method of representing a chemical reaction.

Balance Equation–

A chemical equation is called balanced when it has an equal number of an atom on both side i.e.

Number of atom in reactant = Number of atom in product.

Atom	Reactant	Product
H	2	2
Cl	1	1
Na	1	1
O	1	1

What are Unbalanced Equation ?

A chemical equation is called unbalanced if it has unequal atom for the element in reactant and product side.

Let us take an example of unbalanced equation.

Al + O₂ —-> Al₂O₃

Atom	Reactant	Product
Al	1	2
O	2	3

Here Number of O and Al atom in Reactant side and Number of O atom in product side is not equal. Hence it is called an unbalanced equation.

So we need to balance this chemical equation. Below we are discussing the method to balance a chemical equation

4.Steps To Balancing a Chemical Equation

To balance a chemical equation we follow 5 steps.

1. Keeping the reactant left-hand side & products on the right-hand side we write down the chemical equation as a word equation.
2. Next, we write all the formulas and symbols of the product and reactant in a word equation.
3. We balance the equation by multiplying the symbols and formula by the smallest numbers
4. Next, we put physical state, heat change, reaction condition under the reactant and product to make the equation more informative.
5. To do this we write physical state with symbols such as For liquid (l), solid(s), Gas(s), Enthalpy Change (ΔH), etc.