130k views
2 votes
The basic principle in balancing a chemical equation is to ______. View Available Hint(s) The basic principle in balancing a chemical equation is to ______. have the sum of coefficients in reactants equal to that in the products have the same number of atoms of each element in the reactants and in the products have the same number of reactants as products have the same number of molecules of each substance in the reactants and in the products

User Harlan
by
4.3k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Answer:

have the same number of atoms of each element in the reactants and in the products

Step-by-step explanation:

The basic principle in balancing a chemical equation would simply be to have the same number of atoms of each element in the reactants and in the products.

A balanced chemical equation is one that has the same number of atoms of each element on the reactant and the product's side of the equation. For example, consider the equation below:


H_2 + O_2 --> H_2O

On the reactant's side, there are 2 atoms of H and O while there are 2 atoms of H and 1 atom of O on the product's side. This is an imbalanced equation. In order for it to be balanced, the number of atoms of H and O on the reactant side must be equal to the number of H and O on the product side as below.


2H_2 + O_2 --> 2H_2O

User Kierra
by
4.6k points