7.3 Conservation of Mass and Balancing Chemical Equations

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the conservation of mass and balancing chemical equations.

Law of Conservation of Mass

States that matter can be neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Law of Constant Proportion

States that a compound always contains the same relative amounts of its constituent elements.

Closed System

A system that does not allow the transfer of matter to or from its surroundings.

Open System

A system that allows matter to transfer to or from its surroundings.

Balancing Chemical Equations

The process of ensuring that the same number of atoms of each element are present in the reactants and products.

Reactants

The starting materials in a chemical reaction.

Products

The substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

Coefficient

A number placed in front of a chemical formula to indicate how many molecules are involved in a reaction.

Combustion of Methane

The chemical reaction where methane reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

Physical States

Symbols used to indicate the physical state of a substance: solid (s), liquid (l), aqueous (aq), gas (g).