GENERAL

CHEMISTRY I
LESSON 8
WRITING AND BALANCING
CHEMICAL FORMULA
 OPENING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, We come to you today in prayer,
asking for your guidance and wisdom as we begin this
class.
Help us to stay focused and attentive as we learn and
grow together.
Give us the strength to stay motivated and the courage
to ask questions when needed.
We thank you for the opportunity to learn and grow in
knowledge.
May our minds be open to new ideas and our hearts be
filled with understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 CLASSROOM
RULES
FOR ROOMIES
✔Be respectful.
✔Be prepared.
✔ Raise your hand if you want to
answer or if there is a question or
clarification.
 CLASSROOM
RULES
FOR ROOMIES
✔Follow directions.
✔Be a participative student.
✔Make sure you have
everything you need before the
class starts.
 LEARNING
TARGET
I CAN …
• Write equations for chemical
reactions and balance the
equations
 ACTIVITY #1
Identify if the picture or
equation is balance or not.
Then state why it is balance or
not.
ACTIVITY #1
ACTIVITY #1
ACTIVITY #1
ACTIVITY #1
 Writing Chemical formula

➢ When atoms gain or lose

electrons to form ions, or
when they unite with other
atoms to form molecules,
their symbols are modified
 Writing Chemical formula

construct chemical formulas

that accurately reflect these
substances.
 Writing Chemical formula

➢ Writing and balancing a

chemical equation allows
you to extend these
symbols to indicate both
the identities and relative
 Writing Chemical formula

substances undergoing
chemical (or physical) change.
 Writing Chemical formula
➢ Writing chemical equations
are important for
chemists.
➢ It is an important
language that translates
 Writing Chemical formula

➢ understandable sentence,
which we call the
chemical equation.
 Writing Chemical formula

➢ Word reactions are translated

into symbols for easy reading.
➢ By looking at the chemical
equations, the reader can
easily interpret what transpired
in the reaction.
 Writing Chemical formula

➢ For example:
➢ The reaction of hydrogen and
oxygen to give water is
represented as follows:
➢ 2H2 + O2 2H2O
 Writing Chemical formula

Consider how one methane

molecule (CH4) reacts with two
diatomic oxygen molecules (O2)
to produce one carbon dioxide
molecule (CO2) and two water
molecules (H2O).
 Writing Chemical formula

There are conventions and

simple rules to follow in
writing chemical equations.
They are as follows:
 Writing Chemical formula
1. The starting material or
substances called reactants
are written on the left side
and the resulting substances
called products are written on
the right side.
 Writing Chemical formula
2. An arrow (→) is used to
represent the conversion of the
reactants to products. This may
literally mean <to yield= or <to
form=. The plus sign (+) means
<to react with= or <to combine
 Writing Chemical formula
3. It is recommended that the
states of the substances be
indicated by placing the following
symbols after the formula of
the substance such as: solid
(s), liquid (l), gas (g), and aqueous
 Writing Chemical formula

Example 1:
Sodium combines with chlorine
to produce sodium chloride.

2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

 Writing Chemical formula

Example 2:
Aluminum reacts with oxygen to
produce aluminum oxide.

4Al + 3O2 2Al2O3

 Writing Chemical formula
Example 3:
Sodium carbonate decomposes to
produce sodium oxide and
carbon dioxide.

Na2CO3 Na2O + CO2

 Writing Chemical formula
Example 4:
Ammonia gas reacts with oxygen
gas to produce nitrogen monoxide
gas and steam.

4NH3(g)+5O2(g) 4NO(g)+6H2O(g)
 Writing Chemical formula
Example 5:
Carbon monoxide reacts with
hydrogen to produce methanol.

CO + 2H2 CH3OH
 EXERCISE #1
Match Made In Chemistry:
Directions: Match column A
that is the word equation with
column B which is the
formulaic equation. Translate all
the word equations to formulaic
 EXERCISE #1
A B
1. Solid ammonium chloride decomposes to produce NH4Cl(s) NH3(g) +
ammonia gas and gaseous hydrochloric acid. HCl(g)

2. Liquid carbon disulfide reacts with oxygen gas to NH4NO3(s) N2O(g) +

produce carbon dioxide gas and sulfur dioxide gas. 2H2O(l)

3. Aluminum metal reacts with aqueous copper II 2Fe2O3(s) + 6CO(g)

chloride to produce aqueous aluminum. 4Fe(s) + 6CO2(g)
4. Solid iron III oxide and carbon monoxide gas 2Al(s) + 3CuCl2(aq)
produce iron metal and carbon dioxide gas. 2AlCl3(aq) + 3Cu(s)
5. Solid ammonium nitrate decomposes to produce CS2(l) + 3O2(g)
dinitrogen monoxide gas and water. CO2(g)+ 2SO2(g)
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ The process of balancing
the chemical equation
must start at knowing
how to write the chemical
equation properly and
accurately.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ On the reactant and
product sides of a
balanced chemical
equation, each element
involved in the reaction has
the same amounts of atoms.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ This is a condition that the
equation must meet in order
to comply with the law of
conservation of matter.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ It may be verified by adding
the numbers of atoms on
both sides of the arrow and
comparing them to make
sure that they are equal.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ The three fundamental
chemical laws are the basis
for writing chemical
reactions.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ The conversion of
substances to other
substances during a
chemical reaction is usually
represented by a chemical
equation.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ The chemical equation is
very important because it
provides two types of
information: the nature of
reactants and products, and
the relative number of each.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ In general, balancing chemical
equations is done in two steps:
1. Write the correct chemical
formula and state or phase
of the reactants and
products.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Example 1.
➢ Write the balanced equation
for the reaction of solid
magnesium with oxygen in
air to produce magnesium
oxide.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Step 1.
➢ Write the chemical equation
➢ Mg(s) + O2(g) → MgO(s)
➢ Step 2.
➢ Balance the number of atoms
➢ Mg(s) + O2(g) → MgO(s)
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Step 3.
➢ Check the equation if it
conforms with the Law of
Conservation of Mass.
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Example 2:
➢ Consider the example of the
decomposition of water to yield
molecular hydrogen and oxygen.
This process is represented
qualitatively by an unbalanced
chemical equation: H2O→H2+O2
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Comparing the number of H and O
atoms on either side of this
equation confirms its imbalance:
Element Reactant Product
Balanced?
➢ H 1x2=2 1x2=2 2=2, YES
➢ O 1x1=1 1x2=2 1≠2, NO
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ 2H2O→H2+O2
Element Reactant Product
Balanced? H 2x2=4 1x2=2
4≠2, NO O 2x1=2 1x2=2
2=2, YES
BALANCING EQUATION
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Example 2:
➢ Mg(s) + N2(g) → Mg3N2(s)
➢ Example 3:
➢ Cl2(g)+KBr(aq)→KCl(aq)+
Br2(g)
 BALANCING EQUATION
➢ Example 4:
➢ C2H6(g)+O2(g)→CO2(g)+H2O(l)
 EXERCISE #2
➢ Do It One More Time:
➢ Direction: Carefully analyze
the following chemical
equations. Identify which
equations are balanced or
unbalanced.
 EXERCISE #2
➢ Equation Balance? (yes/no)
1. 2Hg(l) + O2(g) → Hg2O2(s)
2. C2H4(g) + 2O2(g) → 2CO2(g) +
2H2O(g)
3. Mg(NO3)2(s) + 2Li(s) →
Mg(s) + 2LiNO3(s)
THANK
YOU!