Chemical Equations

What is a chemical formula?

A chemist’s shorthand expression that represents the individual particles of a substance.

What is an atom (as a particle)?

The smallest particle of a metallic element or of non-metallic elements like carbon in some forms.

What is a molecule?

A particle consisting of two or more non-metal atoms covalently bonded, including elements, compounds, and acids.

What is a formula unit?

The simplest ratio of ions in salts or bases represented in an ionic lattice.

What is a chemical equation?

A chemist’s shorthand expression for describing a chemical change.

What are reactants?

Substances written on the left-hand side of a chemical equation, consumed in the reaction.

What are products?

Substances written on the right-hand side of a chemical equation, formed by the reaction.

What is the Law of Conservation of Matter?

In a chemical reaction, each element must have the same number of atoms on both sides of the equation.