OnRamps CH 301 Unit 0 Exam 1 Review - Balancing Equations

Vocabulary flashcards covering mass and charge balance concepts and chemical reaction examples from the OnRamps CH 301 Unit 0 review notes.

Mass Balance

A condition in a chemical reaction where the total number of atoms for each element is equal on both the reactant side and the product side.

Charge Balance

A condition in a chemical reaction where the sum of the electrical charges on the reactant side equals the sum of the electrical charges on the product side.

Mass Balanced Methane Combustion Reaction

$\text{CH}_4 + 2\text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + 2\text{H}_2\text{O}$, resulting in $1\,\text{C} = 1\,\text{C}$, $4\,\text{H} = 4\,\text{H}$, and $4\,\text{O} = 4\,\text{O}$.

Charge Balanced Aluminum Oxide Decomposition

$\text{Al}_2\text{O}_3 \rightarrow 2\text{Al}^{3+} + 3\text{O}^{2-}$, where the aluminum charge must be $3+$ (not $2+$) to achieve a net charge of $0$ on both sides.

Propane Combustion Coefficients

The coefficient set $1, 5, 3, 4$ for $\text{C}_3\text{H}_8 + 5\text{O}_2 \rightarrow 3\text{CO}_2 + 4\text{H}_2\text{O}$, which yields $3\,\text{C} = 3\,\text{C}$, $10\,\text{O} = 10\,\text{O}$, and $8\,\text{H} = 8\,\text{H}$.