Parts of a chemical Equation- Write an equation and label the following parts
a. Coefficient, subscript
b. Atoms, molecules
C. Reactants and products
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Let’s break down a chemical equation with the following example:
Example Chemical Equation:
[ 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O ]
a. Coefficient and Subscript
- Coefficient: The coefficient is the number written in front of a molecule to indicate the number of molecules or moles involved in the reaction. In this equation:
- 2 in front of ( H_2 ) means there are two molecules of hydrogen gas.
- 2 in front of ( H_2O ) means two molecules of water are produced.
- Subscript: The subscript is the small number written after an element symbol, indicating the number of atoms of that element in a molecule. For example:
- H₂ means each molecule of hydrogen gas contains two hydrogen atoms.
- O₂ means each molecule of oxygen gas contains two oxygen atoms.
- H₂O means each molecule of water contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
b. Atoms and Molecules
- Atoms: These are the smallest units of elements, represented by their chemical symbols in the equation. In this reaction:
- The atoms involved are hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O).
- The reaction starts with hydrogen molecules (H₂) and oxygen molecules (O₂) and ends with water molecules (H₂O).
- Molecules: A molecule consists of two or more atoms bonded together. In this equation:
- ( H_2 ) and ( O_2 ) are molecules of hydrogen and oxygen, respectively.
- ( H_2O ) is a molecule of water, formed when hydrogen and oxygen atoms chemically bond during the reaction.
c. Reactants and Products
- Reactants: Reactants are the substances that undergo chemical changes during a reaction. In this case:
- The reactants are ( 2H_2 ) (hydrogen gas) and ( O_2 ) (oxygen gas). These are the substances that will react to form the products.
- Products: Products are the substances formed as a result of the chemical reaction. In this equation:
- The product is ( 2H_2O ) (water), which is formed when hydrogen and oxygen react with each other.
Explanation:
In this combustion reaction, two molecules of hydrogen gas ((H_2)) react with one molecule of oxygen gas ((O_2)) to form two molecules of water ((H_2O)). The coefficients (2) indicate the ratio of molecules involved. The subscripts (2 in (H_2) and (H_2O)) show the number of atoms per molecule. This equation follows the law of conservation of mass, meaning the number of atoms on both sides of the equation remains balanced.