Word Equations

• What do chemists use to represent elements and compounds?

  Symbols and formulae
• What do word equations and balanced chemical equations represent?

  The changes that happen in chemical reactions
• What is a word equation?

  • An equation using only the names of reactants and products
  • Models a chemical reaction
  • Does not show chemical symbols or formulae
• What are reactants in a chemical reaction?

  Substances that react together to form products
• What is an atom?

  The smallest part of an element that can exist
• What is an ion?

  An electrically charged particle formed when an atom or molecule gains or loses electrons
• What happens to atoms in reactants during a chemical reaction?

  They separate from one another and join back together in a different way
• What is a product in a chemical reaction?

  A substance formed in a chemical reaction
• What is the general form of a word equation?

  Reactants → Products
• What separates two or more reactants in a word equation?

  A plus sign (+)
• What are the reactants in the example word equation: potassium hydroxide + sulfuric acid → potassium sulfate + water?


  Potassium hydroxide and sulfuric acid
• What is the word equation for the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen to form ammonia?

  Nitrogen + Hydrogen → Ammonia
• What does the arrow in a chemical equation signify?

  It means 'reacts to make'
• Can there be different numbers of reactants and products in a chemical equation?

  Yes
• What is the word equation for the reaction: sodium + chlorine?

  Sodium + Chlorine → Sodium chloride
• What is the product formed when calcium carbonate reacts?

  Calcium oxide and carbon dioxide
• What are the key components of a balanced chemical equation?

  • Reactants on the left side
  • Products on the right side
  • An arrow indicating the reaction
  • Coefficients to balance the number of atoms