Mass connects which two things?

Question

Balance a chemical equation.
Recognize that the number of atoms of each element is conserved in a chemical reaction.
Describe the difference between coefficients and subscripts in a chemical equation.
Translate from symbolic to molecular representations of matter.

Answer 1

It would help to use an actual chemical equation that is correctly balanced.  Here is one such example:

sodium hydroxide plus sulfuric acid to produce sodium sulfate and water.

2NaOH + H₂SO₄ ==> Na₂SO₄ + 2H₂O

# atoms of each element are the same on both sides:

• 2 Na atoms on left and right
• 6 O atoms on left and right
• 4 H atoms on left and right 

 

Difference between coefficients and subscripts:

• coefficients apply to all the atoms that follow that coefficient
• subscripts apply only to the atom preceding that subscript
• example: in 2NaOH, the coefficient 2 applies to the Na, the O and the H.  In Na₂SO₄ the 2 applies only to the Na.

 

 

 

mass on the left side of the equation should equal mass on the right side of a correctly balanced equation.