Practice with chemical reactions

Welcome to the Practice with Chemical Reactions lesson.

Do you remember what the law of conservation of matter expresses? This law tells us that matter is neither created
nor destroyed, it only transforms. How can you demonstrate this law?

It is with the balancing of chemical equations that we can verify that the mass of each element in the equation is the
same in the reactant as in the product.

In this lesson you will be able to recognize the elements of the atom, chemical reactions and equations and, finally,
balance equations.

Let's get started!

parts of the atom

The atom is the smallest particle that makes up an element. This, in turn, is made up of three subparticles:

• Electrons : they orbit around the nucleus and have a negative charge.

• Protons : they are found in the nucleus and have a positive charge.

• Neutrons : like protons, they are found in the nucleus, but they do not have any type of charge.

Chemical reactions and equations

A chemical reaction is a process by which one, two or more substances (reactants) are chemically transformed
through the application of energy, to form one or more new substances (products).

While the chemical equation is the symbolic representation of chemical reactions.

 Elements of the chemical equation
Let's look at the parts of a chemical equation in the equation:

- The substances found on the left side of the arrow are called reactants .

- The arrow means produces .

- The substances found to the right of the arrow are called products .

- The coefficient is the number that is written to the left of the formula, it represents the number of molecules of the
substance. Coefficients 1 are not written.

- The subscript is the number written to the right and below the chemical elements, it represents the number of
atoms in a molecule. Subscripts 1 are not written.

Balancing equations
When balancing an equation, the goal is to ensure that the number of atoms that enter the chemical process is the
same amount when this process ends. Chemical equations can be balanced by the trial method or by the redox
method.

The trial method consists of modifying the coefficients of each of the substances in the reactants, using failure and
error until the quantities of the elements are the same, both in the reactants and in the products.

While in the redox method it is necessary to calculate the oxidation number of each of the elements that participate
in the reaction.

Exercise 1
Instructions: Match the name that corresponds to each of the indicated parts of the atom (nucleus, neutron, electron,
proton):

Your answer :
core = d
neutrons = b
protons = c
electrons = a
Feedback :

The atom is made up of one or several negatively charged electrons that orbit around a nucleus, which, in turn, is made up of
neutrons and protons. Neutrons are particles without any type of charge. Protons have a positive charge.

Perfect!
Very good! The atom is made up of one or more negatively charged electrons that orbit around a nucleus, which, in
turn, is made up of neutrons and protons. Neutrons are particles without any type of charge. Protons have a positive
charge. Now continue to the next page.

Exercise 2
Instructions: Match the name that corresponds to each of the elements of the equation (reactants, products,
subscript and coefficient):

Your answer :
reactants = a
products = c
subscript = b
coefficient = d
Perfect!
Very good! The equations have four parts: the reactants, which are the substances found on the left side of the arrow;
the products, which are to the right of the arrow; The coefficients are the numbers that are written to the left of the
formula and represent the number of molecules of the substance; and the subscripts are the numbers that are written to
the right and below the chemical elements, they represent the number of atoms in a molecule.

Exercise 3
Instructions: Write the coefficients that are necessary for the equations to be balanced; Take the time you need to
do the calculations you require, and don't worry, the objective of this activity is to test your knowledge and
strengthen it.

N 2 + __H 2 → __NH 3

Your answer : 3.2

Perfect!
Very good! The equation is balanced as follows:

N 2 + 3H 2 → 2NH 3

In this way we achieve that the number of atoms in reactants is the same as in the products:

Element Reagent Product

N 2 2
h 6 6