STEM 11

CHEMISTRY 1

QUARTER 4 : MODULE 1

Chemical Reactions and Chemical

Equations

PHOEBE T. MARCHAN
INSTRUCTOR

Time Frame: One Week

Q4/Module 1

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, the students must be able to;

 write chemical reactions and balance the equations

Discussion

Chemical Reaction

A chemical reaction is a process in which at least one substance is produced as a

result of chemical change. The substances that enter into a chemical reaction are called
reactants while the substances formed from this reaction are called products. Example, in
the reaction below, NaHCO3 is referred to as the reactant, whereas Na2CO3, H2O, and CO2
are the products.
2NaHCO3(s)→ Na2CO3 (s) + H2O (aq) + CO2 (g)
This symbolic representation of a chemical reaction is called a chemical equation. It
uses symbols and formulas to describe the changes that occur in the reaction. As can be
seen, the reactant(s) is/are written on the left-hand side and the product (s) on the right-
hand side. Different symbols are used such as follows:
1. → separates the reactants from the products, read as yields, produces, forms,
liberates.
2. +¿ separates the reactants or products from each other
3. ↑ indicates a gaseous products
4. ↓ used to indicates the presence of a precipitate formed in solution.
5. (s),(l),(g),(aq) signifies solid, liquid, gas, and “aqueous” means that the substance
is in a solution with water.
6. ∆ indicates heating process
7. 2NaHCO3 2before the NaHCO3 is called the “coefficient” or the number of moles
in the substance; no coefficient indicates 1mole
In writing a chemical equation,
1. Always follow the rules in writing formulas of the compound. Example, it is
incorrect to write NaCl2, CaO2, and NaSO4. It is because the charge of Na is +1, Cl is -1, Ca is
+2, O is -2 and SO4 is -2. Hence, following the crisscross rule, it must be NaCl, CaO, and
Na2SO4..
2. An element that is gaseous at room temperature is represented by its natural
molecular formula.
a. It is incorrect to write H 3, F, Cl, O, Br, I, N because hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine,
oxygen, and nitrogen are diatomic gases. Hence, they must be written as H 2, F2, Cl2, O2, Br2,
and N2.
b. It is incorrect to write He2, Ne2, Ar2, Kr2, Xe2 because helium, neon, argon,
krypton, and xenon are monatomic gases. Therefore, they must be written as He, Ne, Ar,
Kr, and Xe.
A gaseous element is denoted by a subscript (g).
Example H2(g), F2(g), Cl2(g), Ne2(g), Xe2(g)
3. An element in solid or liquid state is represented in equations by the element’s
chemical symbol.
Example: It is incorrect to write Na2, nor Hg2; they must be written only as Na or Hg.
A solid element can be denoted by the subscript (s) and a liquid element by the
subscript (l). Example: Na(s) , Hg(l)

Writing Chemical Equations

When writing chemical equation, you must first know how and where to place the
coefficient and the subscript. Always remember that a coefficient applies to the whole
formula. Subscript, on the other hand, affects only the element to which it is written.
 coefficient (refers to Na, H,C,O)

2NaHCO3 ← Subscript (refers only to O)

The coefficient multiplied by the subscript gives the total number of an element in a
formula. Hence, the above notation denotes 2mol NaHCO3; made up of 2 Na atoms, 2 H
atoms, and 6 O atoms.
Example1
1.) 4H2 has 8 H atoms
2.) 4H2O has 8 H atoms and 4 O atoms
3.) 4(NH2)4S has 16 N atoms, 32 H atoms, and 4 S atoms

Balancing Chemical Equations

Antoine Lavoisier’s law of conservation of mass states that atoms can neither be
created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. ; Therefore, equations must be balanced. A
balanced equation has equal number of atoms on both sides; meaning, both the reactants
and the product share the same number of atoms.
balanced equation: Ca + S → CaS
unbalanced equation : H2 + O2 → H2O

The reactants of the second equation have 2H atoms and 2 O atoms, whereas the
product shows only 2 H atoms and 1 O atom. How do we balance this equation, then?
Trial-and-error is applied in changing coefficients when balancing an equation.
Remember that only the coefficients can be changed, not the subscript. Also, fractions are
not allowed in the final formula.
Example 2
Balance the above mentioned equation: H2 + O2 → H2O
Solution
1.) In this equation, only the H is balanced. Thus, we have to balance the O by
adding a coefficient 2 in the product.
H2 + O2 → 2H2 + O
2.) However, adding 2 as coefficient unbalances the H. To balance the equations add
a coefficient 2 in the H reactant.
2H2 + O2 → 2H2 O
checking:
reactants products
H = 4 atoms H = 4 atoms
O = 2 atoms O = 2 atoms
Now, the equation 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O is balanced.
Example 3
Balance the equation: Fe(s) + O2(g) → Fe2O3
Solution
1.) The Fe in the equation is unbalanced since the reactant has only 1 atom, while
the product has 2. Balance this by adding a coefficient 2 to the Fe reactant.
2Fe(s) + O2(g) → Fe2O3(s)
2.) The reactant O has 2 atoms, while the product O has 3. To balance this, add a
coefficient 3 in the O reactant and 2 as coefficient of Fe2O3.
2Fe(s) + 3O2(g)→ 2Fe2O3
3.) Because of the previous step, the number of Fe atoms in the product became 4;
thus, unbalancing the Fe atoms again. Rectify this by replacing coefficient 2 of the Fe
reactant with 4.
4Fe(s) + 3O2(g) → 2Fe2O3
Now, the equation denotes that the reaction of 4mol Fe and 3 mol O 2 yields 2 mol
Fe2O3.

CHEMISTRY 1
Quarter 4 : MODULE 1
ASSESSMENT

Activity:

Balance the chemical equations;

1. S8 + O2 →SO3
2. Zn + HCl → ZnCl2 + H2
ASSESSMENT:

Write chemical equations and balance each of the following word equations.

1. Aluminum sulphate solution and calcium hydroxide solution produce a precipitate of

aluminium hydroxide and solid calcium sulphate.

2. Silicon dioxide solid plus aqueous hydrofluoric acid (HF) yields solid silicon tetra fluoride
plus liquid water.

3. Why is important that a chemical equation be balanced?

4. Balance the following equations.

a.) (NH4)2 Cr2O7 → N2 + Cr2O3 + H2O

b.) CO2(g) + H2O → C6H12O6 (s) + O2
5. Which is the correct coefficient of oxygen in the equation?
C3H8(g) + O2(g) → 3CO2(g) + 4H2O(g)
a.) 3 b.) 4 c.) 5 d.) 6
ASSIGNMENT

1.) What is the difference between the chemical reaction and the chemical equation?