Balancing Chemical Equations

...How to Balance Chemical Equations

1. Write out the unbalanced equation. 

2. Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas. You can only put numbers before the box. never change anything inside the boxes. If you do, you're guaranteed to get the answer wrong. 

3. Make an element inventory. 

4. Write numbers in front of each of the boxes until the inventory for each element is the same both before and after the reaction. Whenever you change a number, make sure to update the inventory - otherwise, you run the risk of balancing it incorrectly. When all the numbers in the inventory balance, then the equation can balance

An example of equation balancing:

1. Write out the unbalanced equation 

2. Draw boxes around all the chemical formulas. 

3. Make an element inventory. Write down how many atoms of each element you have on the reactant side (left) and on the product (right) side of the equation. 

4. Write numbers in front of each of the boxes until the inventory for each element is the same both before and after the reaction. Anything in the box is multiplied by the number you have written on the outside to balance the number of atoms 

There are now two sodium atoms on both the left and the right sides. 

There are two hydrogen atoms on the right and on the left there are four. Put a "2" in front of the water on the right side of the equation to make the hydrogens balance : 

Both the sides of the inventory match, the equation is now balanced