Chemland Simulations


Balancing Equations

A chemical equation must be balanced before useful quantitative information is obtainable about the reactants and products of a chemical reaction. A balanced chemical equations shows the relative amounts of reactants and products, indicating that the same number of atoms of each element appear on both sides of the equation, hence adhering to the law of conservation of matter. Many equations can be balanced by simple trial and error, yet some are more trivial than others. This module simulates the actual balancing of a chemical reaction. By clicking the mouse on the up and down arrows, the atoms increase or decrease, respectively, for a specific element in the equation until completely balanced.

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INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Select a reaction from the reaction menu.
  2. Try to balance it by clicking the up and down arrows for the coefficients. Up increases the coefficient by one while down decrements it.