Balancing Equations Quick Review

Remember in grade 10 how we all learned how to balance equations? No? Don't remember? Well, don't worry, you've come to the right place! Here's a review on how to balance equations.

The whole purpose of balancing equations is to get the atoms on both the products and reactants side to be equal. There are no exact steps to balancing equations. Practice, practice, practice! That is the way to getting the feel of balancing equations; it makes it a lot easier once you've practiced a lot. However, there are certain rules that can help make balancing equations easier:

                     Let's use the following example as a guide

                   Original: 1NaCl + 1Li₃PO₄ --> 1Na₃PO₄ + 1LiCl

                 Balanced: 3NaCl + 1Li₃PO₄ --> 1Na₃PO₄ + 3LiCl

• Balance polyatomic compounds as whole, not seperately (Ex. PO₄ -- balance this as PO₄, not as P and O₄)
• Balance each section as you go along (Ex. when you first encounter the Na3 on the products side, go back to the NaCl on the reactants side and add a 3, leaving you with 3NaCl. Now that you have 3 Cl, go back to the products side and add a 3 infront of LiCl, making it 3LiCl)
• Leave single elements last. These will be the easiest ones to balance because single elements (Ex. O₂, Al, Ba)

**When your finished balancing your equation, and some elements/compounds don't have a coefficient infront of it, always put a 1**

Examples

__CaC₂ + __O₂ --> __Ca + __CO₂

__Mg(OH)₂ + __Ag --> __AgOH + __Mg

__AlP + __BeF₂ --> __AlF₃ + __Be₃P₂

Answers:

1CaC₂+ 1O₂ --> 1Ca + 1CO₂

1Mg(OH)₂ + 2Ag --> 2AgOH + 1Mg

2AlP + 3BeF2 --> 2AlF₃ + 1Be₃P₂                    

More practice? Try these awesome sites!

http://www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/taters/EquationBalancing.htm

http://www.chemistry-drills.com/balance.php?rxn_drill=balance_easy