Chemical equation
One way to show a chemical reaction is using a word equation, e.g. methane + oxygen→Carbon dioxide+water Methane and oxygens are the reactants as they reacted together Carbon dioxide and water are called the products as they were producedSymbol equations are mostly used instead, they use the chemical symbol involved, e.g. CH4+02→CO2 +H20For an equation to be balanced, they need the same total number of each type of atom on either side of the arrow In the equation: CH4+02→CO2 +H20On the left, there are 1 carbon, four hydrogens and two oxygens On the right, there are 1 carbon, two hygrogens and three oxygens
First rule of balancing is that we cannot change any of the little numbers, this is because it will create a different substanceSecond rule of balancing is changing the big numbers as it represents how many of that substances there are Final rule of balancing is that they have to be whole numbers
CH4+O2→CO2 +H20Add two to H20 on the right side Add two to O2 on the left side This makes the equation: CH4+2O2→CO2+2H20