Balancing Chemical Equations

This set of flashcards covers essential vocabulary related to balancing chemical equations and understanding the components involved in chemical reactions.

Coefficient

A number in front of a molecule in a chemical equation that indicates how many of that molecule are involved in the reaction.

Reactants

Substances that are present before a chemical reaction occurs; they are found on the left side of a chemical equation.

Balanced Equation

An equation where the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

Trial and Error

A method of problem-solving where various methods are tried to find a solution, often used in balancing equations.

Subscript

A small number that indicates the number of atoms of an element in a molecule.

Ionic Equation

An equation that shows all of the ions present in a solution and includes their charges.

Net Ionic Equation

An equation that only shows the species that actually participate in the reaction, eliminating spectator ions.

Molecular Equation

An equation that shows the complete formulas of reactants and products without showing ionic character.

Whole Number Coefficient

A coefficient that is a non-fractional number, necessary for representing the amounts of reactants and products in a balanced equation.

Dissociate

The process of separating ions when an ionic compound dissolves in water.