Final answer:
A balanced chemical equation must have the same number of atoms of each element on both sides, upholding the law of conservation of matter.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a science equation is balanced properly, both sides of the equation must have the same number of atoms of each element. This is key to satisfying the law of conservation of matter.
Balancing chemical equations involves adjusting the coefficients in front of the chemical formulas to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is equal on both the reactant side and the product side. It is not merely the number of molecules or moles of molecules that need to be the same – it is the number of atoms of each type.
The coefficients are used as a tool to balance the atoms, and these often correspond to the moles of substances when dealing with chemical quantities.
A balanced chemical equation must have the same number of atoms on both sides of the equation. The coefficients in a balanced equation represent the number of molecules or formula units of each reactant or product.
It is important to note that the coefficients should be the simplest whole number ratio in a balanced equation. For example, if the equation has 2H₂O on the reactant side, it should have 2H₂O on the product side as well.