Chemical equation
Chemical Equation
A Chemical Equation (/kɪˈmɪk(ə)l iˈkweɪʒ(ə)n/) is a representation of a chemical reaction that uses symbols to show the relationship between the reactants and the products.
Etymology
The term "Chemical Equation" is derived from the Greek word "χημεία" (chēmeía) meaning "alchemy", and the Latin word "aequātiō" meaning "equation".
Definition
A Chemical Equation is a written symbolic representation of a chemical reaction. The reactant chemical(s) are given on the left-hand side and the product chemical(s) on the right-hand side. The two are connected by an arrow symbol (→) usually read as "yields".
Components of a Chemical Equation
A Chemical Equation consists of several components:
- Reactants: The substances that react with each other in a chemical reaction, represented on the left side of the equation.
- Products: The substances that are produced by the reaction, represented on the right side of the equation.
- Coefficients: The numbers placed before the reactants and products, representing the amount of each substance involved in the reaction.
- Arrow: The symbol (→) that separates the reactants from the products, indicating the direction of the reaction.
Balancing Chemical Equations
In a balanced chemical equation, the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This is a reflection of the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
Related Terms
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