CHEMICAL

WRITING AND BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
• the process by which substances

interacts to form different substances.
• In chemical reactions, the substances
that interact are called reactants, while
the substances that are formed are
called products.
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
• are symbolic representations of chemical

processes that use standardized notation to
communicate information in an efficient
manner.
• The general form of the equations is shown
𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 → 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒔
below,
where the reactants are written on the left

CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 → 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒔
• The reactants and products are

separated by an arrow, which
indicates the change that occurs as a
result of the process. The arrow is read
as yields, gives, or reacts to
produce.
BASIC SYMBOLS IN WRITING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
WORD EQUATION
• is a type of chemical reaction wherein the names

of the reactant and products are used to write
the equation.
• This equation is useful because they identify the
reactants and the products. However, it does not
provide any information on how the atoms of the
reactants rearrange to form the products.
Example: Sodium (s) + chlorine (g) →sodium chloride

SKELETON EQUATION
• chemical formula are used to identify reactants

and products, however, it is still incomplete,
because all atoms must be accounted for according
to the law of conservation of mass.
• Example: Na(s) + Cl2(g) → NaCl(s)

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS
• states that no atoms can be

created or destroyed in a chemical
reaction, so the number of atoms
that are present in the reactants
has to balance the number of
atoms that are present in the
BALANCED CHEMICAL EQUATION
• All chemical reactions obey the law of

conservation of mass and this is reflected in a
balanced chemical equation.
• This type of chemical equation shows that the
number of atoms of the same kind in the
reactant is the same as that in the products. In
some cases, skeleton equations are already
balanced.
Example: C(s) + O2(g) →CO2(g)
COEFFICIENTS
• To balance an equation, you can add numbers in front of

the formula of the reactants and or products. The
numbers in front of the formula in a balanced equation are
called coefficients.
• These are usually whole number and usually not written if
the value is 1.
• The coefficient of a substance represents the smallest
number of atoms, molecules, or formula units of the
particular substance that take part in the reaction.
• The only way to balance a chemical equation is to add the
STEPS FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
1. Write the skeleton equation describing the

reaction and make sure that the correct
symbols of the elements and formula of the
compounds are written.
Skeleton equation: Na(s) + Cl2(g) → NaCl(s)
STEPS FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
2. Count the number of atoms on the reactant side and on

the product side of the equation to see whether the equation
is already balanced.
The equation is not balanced in terms of chlorine.

STEPS FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
3. Begin by balancing the atoms that occur in the

largest number on either side of the equation.
Leave hydrogen, oxygen, and other elements.
Balance the chlorine atoms by placing 2 in front
of NaCl.
STEPS FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
4. Polyatomic ions that occur on both

sides of the chemical equation are
balanced as ion units.
5. Balance any hydrogen or oxygen
atoms that occur in a combined and
uncombined state.
STEPS FOR BALANCING CHEMICAL
EQUATIONS
6. Balance any other element that

occurs in its uncombined state.
Balance the sodium atom on the right
side of the equation by placing 2 in
front of Na.
STEPS FOR BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
7. Check your answers by counting the number of each type of atom on

each side of the equation. Make sure that the coefficients used are whole
numbers in their lowest terms.
Recount the atoms on the left and right sides of the equation to see if
they tally.
EXAMPLE 2
Write a balanced chemical equation that

describes the reaction between copper(II) nitrate
and potassium hydroxide to form solid copper(II)
hydroxide and sodium nitrate. This reaction occurs
in an aqueous solution.
Skeleton equation:
Cu(NO3)2(aq) + KOH(aq) → Cu(OH)2(s) + KNO3(aq)
The equation is not yet balanced in terms of nitrogen,
oxygen and hydrogen Proceed with step 4, since
polyatomic ions (𝑁𝑂3 −) are involved.
There are two nitrate (𝑁𝑂3 −) ions on the left
side of the equation so place 2 in front of KNO3.
There are two hydroxide (𝑂𝐻−) on the right side,

so write 2 in front of KOH.
The remaining elements such as Cu and K are

already balanced. Steps 5 and 6 are not
necessary because there are no atoms present in
uncombined states
Recount the atoms on the left and right sides
of the equation to see if they tally.

CHEMICAL

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WRITING AND BALANCING

• the process by which substances

• are symbolic representations of chemical

where the reactants are written on the left

• The reactants and products are

• is a type of chemical reaction wherein the names

Example: Sodium (s) + chlorine (g) →sodium chloride

• chemical formula are used to identify reactants

• Example: Na(s) + Cl2(g) → NaCl(s)

• states that no atoms can be

• All chemical reactions obey the law of

• To balance an equation, you can add numbers in front of

1. Write the skeleton equation describing the

2. Count the number of atoms on the reactant side and on

The equation is not balanced in terms of chlorine.

3. Begin by balancing the atoms that occur in the

4. Polyatomic ions that occur on both

6. Balance any other element that

7. Check your answers by counting the number of each type of atom on

Write a balanced chemical equation that

There are two hydroxide (𝑂𝐻−) on the right side,

The remaining elements such as Cu and K are

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