Question

Why is this important in chemistry to balance equations?

Answer 1

The Law of Conservation of Mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed, it only changes.

So when you balance a chemical equation, what you get is the same equation, but with the same number of atoms of each chemical element in the reactants and in the products. In this way the conservation of mass is achieved, because the same number of atoms that exists in the reactants is the one that is later transformed and appears in the products.

A balanced equation is the following:

H2 + 1/2O2 --------> H2O

Reactants: Products:

Amount of H = 2 Amount of H = 2

Amount of O = 1 Amount of O = 1

It is a balanced equation because each element has the same number of atoms in the reactants and in the products.

Step-by-step explanation:

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Answer 2

The bonds between atoms in the reactants are rearranged to form new compounds in chemical reactions, but none of the atoms disappear and no new ones are formed. As a consequence, chemical equations must be balanced, meaning that the number and kinds of atoms must be the same on both sides of the reaction arrow.