Year 9 Science

Balancing Chemical Equations Practice

1. Identifying element type and number:

Compound Formula Name Elements type and number

H2O Water Hydrogen: 2 Oxygen: 1
PO4 Phosphate Phosphorus: 1 Oxygen: 4
NO- Nitrate Nitrogen: 1 Oxygen: -1
CO3 Carbonate Carbon: 1 Oxygen: 3
CH4 Methane Carbon: 1 Hydrogen: 4
NaCl Sodium Chloride (table salt) Sodium: 1 Chlorine: 1
BaCl2 Barium Chloride Barium: 1 Chlorine: 2
Na2SO4 Sodium Sulphate Sodium: 2 Sulphur: 1 Oxygen: 4
C6H8O7 Citric Acid Carbon: 6 Hydrogen: 8 Oxygen: 7
CH3CH2OCS2Na Sodium Ethal Xanthate Carbon: 3 Hydrogen: 5 Oxygen: 1 Sulphur: 2 So
2. Fill in the blanks from the following paragraph:

Atoms are not created or destroyed during a chemical reaction. Scientists know that there must be
the same number of atoms on each side of the equation. To balance the chemical equation, you
must add coefficients in front of the chemical formulas in the equation. You cannot add or change
subscripts!

SUMMARY ON HOW TO BALANCE A CHEMICAL EQUATION

Side  Add of atoms for each element

Determine number Coefficients Destroyed
 Pick an element that is not equal on both sides of the equation.
3  Add a coefficient in front of the formula with that element and adjust your .
Created counts. Equation Same Change
 Continue adding coefficients to get the same number of atoms of each
element on each side.
Use the diagrams below the help balance these chemical equations:

a. Sodium + Chlorine  Magnesium Oxide

Na Cl Na
Na Na
+ Cl  Cl
Cl

Balance
2Na + Cl2  2NaCl
this 

b. Aluminium + Oxygen  Aluminium Oxide

 Al
Al + 

Balance
2Al + O2  2Al2O3
this 
4. Balance the following equations:

a. 2Mg + O2 2MgO

Mg = 2 Mg = 2

O= 2 O=2

b. 2Ca + O2 2CaO

Ca =2 Ca =2

O =2 O =2

c. N2 + 3H2 2NH3

N =2 N =2

H =6 H =6

d. 2Cu2O + C 4Cu + CO2

Cu =4 Cu =4

O =2 O =2

C =1 C =1

e. 3H2O2 3H20 + 3O2

H =6 H =6

O =6 O =6

5. Balancing act practice:

Balance each equation. Be sure to show your lists (as was practiced above)! Remember you cannot
add subscripts or place coefficients in the middle of a chemical formula.

a. 2Na + MgF2 2NaF + Mg

Na:2 Na: 2

Mg:1 Mg: 1

F:2 F: 2

b. Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2

Mg:1 Mg: 1

H:2 H: 2
Cl:2 Cl: 2

c. Cl2 + 2KI 2KCl + I2

Cl:2 Cl: 2

K:2 K: 2

I:2 I: 2

d. 2NaCl 2Na + Cl2

Na:2 Na: 2

Cl:2 Cl: 2

e. 4Na + O2 2Na2O

Na:4 Na: 4

O:2 O: 2

f. 2Na + 2HCl H2+ 2NaCl

Na:2 Na: 2

H:2 H: 2

Cl:2 Cl: 2

g. 2K + Cl2 2KCl

K:2 K: 2

Cl:2 Cl: 2

6. Challenge: This one is tough!

C2H6 + 3O2 2CO2 + 3H20

C:2 C: 2

H:6 H: 6

O:6 O: 6