Chemistry Balancing Equations Vocab

Chemical Equation

• Represents a chemical change / chemical reaction

• A combination of chemical formulas, numbers, and symbols that represent the change

• Always balanced

“Balanced”

Number of each type of atom in the Reactants = Number of each type of atom in the Products

Reactants

ALWAYS on the left

Products

ALWAYS on the right

Skeleton Equation

When chemical formulas for reactants and products are written but the equation is not balanced yet

Coefficient

• Large numbers in front of each formula

• Makes changes so the number of each type of atom matches

Symbol for a solid

(s)

Symbol for a gas

(g)

Symbol for a liquid

(l)

Symbol for dissolves in water

(aq)

Chemical Formula

A representation of a substance using symbols for its elements and numerical subscripts to indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule or compound

Chemical Symbol

A one or two letter abbreviation used to represent a chemical element

Synthesis Reaction

A type of reaction when a single product is made from two or more reactants

Decomposition Reaction

A type of reaction in which a single more complex reactant breaks down two or more products

Single Replacement Reaction

A more reactive element “replaces” the similar element from a compound to form a new compound and an element

Double Replacement Reaction

A reaction involving the exchange of positive ions between two compounds (ions are “switching partners”)

Combustion Reaction

A reaction in which a hydrocarbon burns in the presence of oxygen producing carbon dioxide and water

Metathesis Reaction

Driving force is the formation of a precipitate, a molecular compound, or a gas

Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Driving force is the movement of high energy electrons from one element or compound to another