Module 6 Lesson 1 Notes 1: Writing and Balancing Chemical Equations

Guided Notes
Honors Chemistry NCVPS

Slide 2:
1. What is a Chemical Reaction?
2. List the 4 Indicators of a Chemical Change
a. Release or _absorbtion _________ of _energy________
b. _color______ change
c. Formation of a _precipate___________ (_solid___)
d. Formation of a ___gas_________ (_bubling_____ or _fizzing____)
Side 3:
Reactants  → Products
4Al(s)  +  3O (g)  → 2Al O (s)
2 2 3

3. Coefficient Definition: the numbers in front that indicate the relative

number of moles of the substance they are

4. Circle (or highlight) all coefficients in the equation above.

5. What do subscripts tell you? indicates the number of each atom in 1 mole
of the substance

6. Underline all subscripts in the equation above.

7. How do you know what state of matter a substance is? solid liquid gas

8. What does Δ mean when it is over the arrow? heat was added

Slide 4: Law of Conservation of Mass

9. Definition: matter is neither created or destroyed

Mass Reactants  = Mass  

Products

10. What does this mean? there must be the same number of each type of
atom on both sides
11. What do we use in chemical equations to satisfy the Law of Conservation
of Mass? coefficients
12. Can you change the subscripts in an equation?
no
Slide 5: How to Count Atoms

4H O 2

13. How many H atoms are in 1 molecule of H2O? 4

14. How many O atoms are there in 1 molecule of H2O? 1
15. How many H2O molecules are there? 1
16. How many total H atoms? How many total O atoms? 8h and 4o
17. How did you find those answers? multiplying the coefficient by the
subscript
18. Can you alter subscripts to balance an equation? Why or why not?
no

Slide 6: Dealing with Parentheses

4Ca(NO ) 3 2
19. The subscript outside of the parentheses_ applies to all atoms _inside .
20. The _coeffcient _________ applies to all substances it is in __front______
of.
21. How many Ca atoms are there? 4
22. How many N atoms are there? 8
23. How many O atoms are there? 24
24. Why can you count (NO3)-1 as units? How many are there if you do this?

Slide 7: How to Balance an Equation

25. Why is this equation unbalanced at first?
26. Steps to Balance an equation: theres not equal number of AI and O Atoms
a. Step 1: count the number of each atom on both side
b. Step 2: use coefficients to make them the same number
i. DO NOT CHANGE Subscripts___________
ii. Use _smallest________ whole numbers _possible_______
c. Step 3: check your work
27. Either write out or screenshot how to balance this equation below.
Al(s)  +  O (g)  → Al O (s)
2 2 3
Slide 8: Tips for Balancing
28. Balance __1__ element at a time, save _h____ for second to last, and
save __o___ for last
29. Keep in mind that a coefficient to balance ____one____ element may
impact __another____ element
30. If everything balances except for __o___ and there is no way to have a
__whole____ number, ___double____ all coefficients and try again!
31. Practice! It’s a skill!
Slide 9: Balancing Ex 1.
Al(s)   + Br (l)  → AlBr (s)
2 3
Al = 1 Al = 1
Br = 2 Br =3

32. How many Al do you have on each side to start?1

33. How many Br do you have on each side to start? 2 and 3
34. Write the final balanced equation. 2AI(s) + 3Br2(i) 2AIBr3(s)

Slide 10: Balancing Ex 2.

C H (g)  + O (g)   →  CO (g)  +  H O(g)
3 8 2 2 2

C=3 C=1
H=8 H=2
O =2 O=2+1=3

35. What element should you start with first? c

 36. What element second? H

37. What element last? O

38. What is the sum of the coefficients once the equation is balanced? 42

Slide 11: Balancing Ex 3.

sodium phosphate + iron III oxide → sodium oxide + iron III phosphate

Na (PO )  + Fe O   →  Na O   +  Fe(PO )
3 4 2 3 2 4

Na = 3 Na = 2
(PO4) = 1 (PO4) = 1
Fe = 2 Fe = 1
O=3 O=1

39. Notice we are NOT splitting the (PO4) ions into P and O!