Balancing Chemical Equations

• State Symbols


  Indicate whether the reactants and products in a chemical reaction are solids, liquids, gases, or have been dissolved in water
• State Symbols


  • (s) Solid
  • (l) Liquid
  • (g) Gas
  • (aq) Solution (aqueous)
• Formula equation with state symbols

  • 2Na (s) + 2H2O (l) → 2NaOH (aq) + H2(g)
• A balanced chemical equation must have the same number of atoms of each element on each side
• Balancing Chemical Equations


  Balanced formula equations show what happens to the different atoms during reactions
• Substances with state symbols

  • argon gas (Ar(g))
  • liquid nitrogen (N(l))
  • salt dissolved in water (NaCl(aq))
  • solid carbon dioxide (CO2(s))
  • Ice (H2O(s))
  • molten iron (Fe(l))
  • water at 200 °C (H2O(g))
  • carbon dioxide in soda water (CO2(aq))
  • magnesium powder (Mg(s))
  • dilute sulfuric acid (H2SO4(aq))