Hello. I have a Science exam on January 12th and i am veryyyyyyy confused :huh: about balanced equations. I just do NOT seem to be able to understand how one must balance them. One of the science teachers has tried to give me a tip, but its just not working. So has anyone got any sort of advice/tips or easier methods to understand it. Thankyou. Please reply. xoxo S :cool:
Hope this helps for now. This is something that would benefit from a proper page in the chemistry section. I will do one later today and post its URL on here when I have done it. In the mean time....
1. Get the word equation right first. (wrong words will automatically mean the balanced chemical equation is wrong!)
2. Get the symbol or formula right for each of the substances. This includes checking that the diatomic gases are properly dealt with. Guessing the formula (eg calcium chloride as CaCl is not good enough. Calcium chloride has two chloride ions per calcium ion and so should be CaCl2....sorry I can't do the subscript on the discussion page)
3. Make sure that you understand what each of the chemical formulae means so that you are counting the right number of each element.
4. Count the number of each atom of each element in turn. USe BIG numbers to multiply the whole of the formula. Never change the little numbers at this stage.
5. Keep counting until you can go through the whole equation without changing it (a bit like a lap of honour).
and the following page and see if it helps. If you need more help, get back on here and try to explain which bits you can do and which bits you cannot. An example of where you are finding problems would be useful to help me to help you.
Hello. I have a Science exam on January 12th and i am veryyyyyyy confused :huh: about balanced equations. I just do NOT seem to be able to understand how one must balance them. One of the science teachers has tried to give me a tip, but its just not working. So has anyone got any sort of advice/tips or easier methods to understand it. Thankyou. Please reply. xoxo S :cool:
Hope this helps for now. This is something that would benefit from a proper page in the chemistry section. I will do one later today and post its URL on here when I have done it. In the mean time....
1. Get the word equation right first. (wrong words will automatically mean the balanced chemical equation is wrong!)
2. Get the symbol or formula right for each of the substances. This includes checking that the diatomic gases are properly dealt with. Guessing the formula (eg calcium chloride as CaCl is not good enough. Calcium chloride has two chloride ions per calcium ion and so should be CaCl2....sorry I can't do the subscript on the discussion page)
3. Make sure that you understand what each of the chemical formulae means so that you are counting the right number of each element.
4. Count the number of each atom of each element in turn. USe BIG numbers to multiply the whole of the formula. Never change the little numbers at this stage.
5. Keep counting until you can go through the whole equation without changing it (a bit like a lap of honour).
Actually, I have already put a couple of pages on th site about this. Try this
(just click on the URL)
http://www.revisionworld.com/gcse/chemistry/changing-materials/representing-reactions
and the following page and see if it helps. If you need more help, get back on here and try to explain which bits you can do and which bits you cannot. An example of where you are finding problems would be useful to help me to help you.