Why are chemical equations balanced? Explain at the atomic level.
This should get you started. By no means is this an exhaustive list.
By balancing equations, we know what goes in must come out. If we know how much we put in we can calculate how much product we should obtain. We can try to improve yields if the yield is not 100%.
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Chemical equations are balanced to satisfy the law of conservation of mass. At the atomic level, elements are made up of atoms, and chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms to form new substances. The law of conservation of mass dictates that in a chemical reaction, the total number and types of atoms before the reaction must be equal to the total number and types of atoms after the reaction.
To understand how chemical equations are balanced at the atomic level, let's consider a simple example of the combustion of methane gas (CH4) with oxygen gas (O2) to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O):
CH4 + O2 → CO2 + H2O
For this equation to be balanced at the atomic level, the number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of the equation.
First, let's count the number of carbon (C) atoms. We have one carbon atom on the left side (CH4) and one carbon atom on the right side (CO2). So, the carbon atoms are balanced.
Next, let's count the number of hydrogen (H) atoms. We have four hydrogen atoms on the left side (CH4) and two hydrogen atoms on the right side (H2O). To balance the hydrogen atoms, we need to place a coefficient of 2 in front of H2O:
CH4 + O2 → CO2 + 2H2O
Now, we have eight hydrogen atoms on both sides, and the equation is balanced in terms of hydrogen.
Finally, let's count the number of oxygen (O) atoms. We have two oxygen atoms on the left side (O2) and two oxygen atoms on the right side (CO2 + 2H2O). Therefore, the equation is already balanced in terms of oxygen.
Overall, by balancing the number of atoms on each side of the equation, we ensure that the law of conservation of mass is obeyed at the atomic level. This means that no atoms are created or destroyed during a chemical reaction, and the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products.