Title: Woo hoo Were gettin to the good stuff
1Woo hoo! Were gettin to the good stuff!
- Balancing Equations and other Tidbits by Kahle.
2- Steps in Balancing Equations
- Convert name to formula (subscript time!). Make
sure to identify all diatomic elements. - atom inventory time! (tells you how many of
each type of atom are involved in each half of
the equation)
3. Try different coefficients to make the number
of atoms the same on both sides of the equation.
Do NOT change the subscripts!!!
- Balance elements appearing once on each side.
- Balance other elements (usually balance H and O
last)
4. If every coefficient will reduce, rewrite it
in the simplest whole-number ratio
3Disclaimer bout Diatomic Molecules
Diatomic
A molecule that consists of two atoms.
Whenever the following elements are alone in
space/ an equation they will ALWAYS consist of
two atoms H2, O2, F2, Br2, I2, N2, Cl2 H
O F Br I N Cl
4More BasicsThis Time with Chemicals! Woo hoo! ?
A chemical word equation Carbon tetrahydride
oxygen ? carbon dioxide water
A chemical formula equation CH4 O2 ? CO2 H2O
1
1
C H O
C H O
Reactants
Products
4
2
2
3
5Goin back to school
CH4 O2 ? CO2 H2O
Reactants Products
CH4 O2 ? CO2 2H2O
CH4 2O2 ? CO2 2H2O
Final Answer! Yay!
6We Want More!
i.e. Solid Aluminum Carbide, Al4C3, reacts with
water to produce methane gas and solid aluminum
hydroxide. Write a balanced chemical equation
for this reaction.
Step 1 Write out formula equation
Al4C3 H2O ? CH4 Al(OH)3
Step 2 Atom Inventory! Reactants Product
s
Al C H O
1
Al C H O
4
1
3
7
2
3
1
7Step 3
Al4C3 H2O ? CH4 Al(OH)3
Step 3
Al4C3 H2O ? CH4 4Al(OH)3
Al 4 C 3 H 2 O 1
Al 4 C 1 H 16 O 12
Al4C3 H2O ? 3CH4 4Al(OH)3
Al 4 C 3 H 2 O 1
Al 4 C 3 H 24 O 12
8Step 3 (cont.)
Al4C3 H2O ? 3CH4 4Al(OH)3
Al4C3 12H2O ? 3CH4 4Al(OH)3
Al 4 C 3 H 24 O 12
Al 4 C 3 H 24 O 12
Step 4 Nothing will reduce, so our final
balanced equation is seen above!
9Extra
If you want to work on this at home visit the
following site http//www.wfu.edu/ylwong/balance
eq/balanceq.html It is a tutorial that goes
through the steps and explains how to balance
equations. Also try
http//members.aol.com/profchm/balance.htmlanswer
1 If you scroll down there are 5 practice
problems you can try on your own and then click
to get the answer and an explanation of the
answer.