Question

Define the following:

(a) Unbalanced chemical equation

Answer 1

Unbalanced equation:

• In an unbalanced equation, there are unequal numbers of each type of atom on the reactant side compared with the product side.
• Example: Reaction of hydrogen with oxygen to form water.
• $\underset{\mathrm{Hydrogen}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$
• To make them equal, we need to adjust the number of atoms of some of the substances until we get equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides.
• Therefore, the balanced equation will be:
• $\underset{\mathrm{Hydrogen}}{2{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Water}}{2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$
• An equation in which the number of each atom of an element on the reactants side is equal to the number of each atom of an element on the product side is called a balanced equation.