Question

A chemical equation conveys information about a chemical reaction. Why is it important to make sure that chemical equations are balanced and why should you not alter the identities of the substances involved when you balance an equation? How would an unbalanced chemical equation convey misleading information about what it took place during a chemical reaction.

Answer 1

quite good question but the answer is simple : We balance chemical equations because they have to obey law of conservation of mass.
Law of conservation of mass states that mass can neither created, lost nor destroyed. Therefore we use coefficient in front of reactants and products in order to make sure there are equal number of molecules or atoms on both sides.

Consider this chemical reaction, H2 + O2 --> H2O. We see there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on the left side of the reaction, but there are only 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atoms on the right side of the reaction. This does not obey the law of conservation of mass. Therefore we have to balance the reaction to obey the law of conservation of mass. If we put 2 in front of H2 and 2 in front of H2O the chemical equation would be balanced. 2 H2 + O2 --> 2 H2O.
Now we look at the balanced chemical equation, we found out that there are 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on the left side of the reaction, and there are also 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on the right side of the reaction., did u got it .

Answer 2

no medals..

Answer 3

Thank you! Your answer was vey helpful and easy to understand.