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Daily Dose 020 | Chemistry
How do you balance a Chemical Equation?
How do you balance a Chemical Equation?
There’s a common progression of thought that goes down as one is making their way through the specifications for the FE Exam – it goes a little something like this:
Mathematics – OK, I made it through Calculus in college, I think I can do this…
Probability and Statistics – Hmm…data and sets, I do remember Normal Distributions, I should be good…
Chemis…ahem, Chemistry – oh, like beakers and lab coats – I am out.
As engineers, we like to stay in the physical, so when we see that Chemistry is a subject that will be on the FE Exam, our mental alarms glare, eyes glass over and we abort the mission.
But it doesn’t need to be this way.
At Prepineer, we not only believe, we KNOW, that you can get a basic understanding in ALL the subjects that you will see on the FE Exam, and yes, that includes Chemistry – and that’s all you need.
In this lesson, we are going to dive in to a FE Exam Practice Problem in the subject of CHEMISTRY, specifically learning how to BALANCE A CHEMICAL EQUATION.
Key Definition
What is a CHEMICAL EQUATION?
A CHEMICAL EQUATION is the symbolic representation of a chemical reaction in the form of symbols and compounds in molecular form.
The REACTANTS of a reaction can be found on the left side of the equation whereas the PRODUCTS of the reaction are on the right side.
To BALANCE a CHEMICAL REACTION, we will place coefficients next to each of the compounds. These coefficients are the absolute values of the stoichiometric numbers.
The Process
What is the process of balancing a Chemical Equation?
Let’s talk balancing chemical equations.
Imagine you’re a chef. Just like you need the right amount of ingredients for a recipe, a chemical equation needs the right amount of each element.
In a balanced chemical equation, the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This is because in a chemical reaction, atoms aren’t lost or gained; they’re just rearranged. Balancing an equation is like making sure you have enough seats for everyone at a party – nobody’s left standing.
So, whether you’re creating a new fuel, treating waste water, or making medicine, getting the equation balanced is your first step. It sets the stage for understanding how much of each substance you’ll need and what you’ll create.
It doesn’t need to be complicated, let’s run through the steps:
- Write the Unbalanced Equation
- List Elements
- Count Atoms for Each Element
- Start with Individual Elements
- Balance Polyatomic Ions as Units
- Adjust Coefficients
- Balance Hydrogen and Oxygen Last
- Check Your Work
- Repeat as Necessary
- Ensure the Coefficients are Simplified
Begin by noting down the reactants and products as they appear before balancing.
Create a list of all elements that are present in the reactants and products.
Tally the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.
Focus first on elements that are found in a single reactant and a single product.
If the same polyatomic ion is on both sides of the equation, balance it as one entity.
Modify the coefficients before the chemical formulas to get the same number of atoms on both sides. Begin with the compound that has the most elements.
These elements should be balanced after all others, as they usually appear in multiple compounds within the equation.
Review the atom counts to confirm that the equation is balanced.
If discrepancies remain, continue adjusting the coefficients and rechecking until balance is achieved.
Make sure that all coefficients are the smallest set of integers possible.
Problems of this type tend to present themselves more difficult than they are because we are looking at a bunch of chemical formulas and symbols. However, following this simple step by step process will allow you to solve any problem asking you to balance a chemical equation, no matter how hard it appears off the cuff.
And with all of that being stated, check out the video and see how we can go about solving this type of problem in the most efficient manner.
As always, we are here to help, Prepineer
