Balancing Chemical

Equations
 What is Chemical Reaction?
• Chemical Reactions are the real
processes that take place in nature. It
involve change in substance
“chemical change”.
• Examples include respiration,
photosynthesis, burning, rusting of
iron, combustion of gasoline, ripening
of fruits, and digestion of food.
• A substance that undergoes a
chemical reaction is called a
reactant.
• The substance that is produced is
called a product.

Reactants Products
 What is Chemical Equation?
• A chemical equation is a short way of
describing a chemical reaction.
• It illustrates the symbols of the element,
the formulas of compounds and the
quantities of reactants and product in a
chemical reaction.
• Example:
Na (s) + Cl2 (g) 2 NaCl
 Writing Chemical Equation
Things to remember about writing
equations:
1. Elements that exist as a diatomic
molecules are written as follows: N2, H2,
O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2,
2. The reactants are written on the left
side of the equation while the products
(new substance formed) are placed to
the right side of the equation.
3. The sign means ‘yields’ and
shows the direction of the reaction. A
double arrow means that the
reaction is reversible and can go in both
directions.
4. The physical states of the substance
may also be indicated using the
following symbols
s (solid), l (liquid) , g (gas), aq (aqueous).
 Example
Sample Problem 1
Balance the equation for the
reaction between iron and oxygen to
give iron (III) oxide.
STEP 1 : Write the formulas of the
substances.
Fe (s) + O2 (g) Fe2O3
STEP 2: Count the atoms of each
element on each side of the
equation.
Reactant Atom Product
Side Side
1 Fe 2
2 O 3
STEP 3: Adjust the coefficients.
Reactant Atom Product
Side Side
1x2=2 Fe 2x2=4
2x3=6 O 3x2=6

STEP 4: Check if the number of atoms of

each element is the same on both sides.
 Final Equation:

4Fe (s) + 3 O2 (g) 2 Fe2O3

Problem 2
Give the balanced equation
for the reaction between
aluminum metal and hydrochloric
acid (HCl) forming aqueous
aluminum chloride and hydrogen
gas.
STEP1: Write the formulas of the substances.
Al (s) + HCl (aq) AlCl3 + H2
STEP 2: Count the atoms of each element on
each side of the equation.
Reactant Atom Product
Side Side
1 Al 1
1 H 2
1 Cl 3
STEP 3: Adjust the coefficients.
Reactant Atom Product
Side Side
1x2=2 Al 1x2=2
1x6=6 H 2x3=6
1x6=6 Cl 3x2=6
STEP 4: Check if the number of atoms of
each element is the same on both sides.
 Final Equation:

2 Al (s) + 6 HCl (aq) 2 AlCl3 + 3 H2

 TYPES OF REACTIONS
• Combination Reaction
• Decomposition Reaction
• Substitution Reaction
• Double Replacement Reaction
 COMBINATION REACTION
• It is also called synthesis reaction.
• Its basic form is:

•A+B AB
• Example:
Ca + O2 2 CaO
 DECOMPOSITION REACTION
• Its basic form is:
• AB A+B
Example:
2 HgO 2 Hg + O2
 SUBSTITUTION REACTION
• Also called as single replacement
reaction.
• Its basic form is:
C + AB CB + A
Example:
Fe + CuSO4 FeSO4 + Cu
DOUBLE REPLACEMENT REACTION
• Also called as ionic reaction.
• Its basic form is:
AB + CD AD + CB
Example:
H2SO4 + 2 KOH K2SO4 + 2 H2O