Answer:
Chemical equations are a shorthand method of representing chemical reactions. In a chemical reaction the reactants (what you start with) are converted into products (what you end with). The reactants, which are shown on the left hand side of an equation, and the products, which are shown of the right, are separated by an arrow. The equation below represents the reaction of carbon with oxygen gas to form carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
Notice that the number of atoms of carbon is the same on both sides of the arrow. There is one carbon atom on the reactant side and one carbon atom on the product side. The same is true for oxygen except that there are two oxygen atoms on each side (remember that the subscript of two in the oxygen molecule means that there are two oxygen atoms bonded together). When the number of atoms on each side of the equation are equal, the equation is said to be balanced. A balanced equation is in agreement with the Law of Conservation of Matter which states that matter is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction.