Chemistry · Reactions
Chemical Equation Balancer
A balanced equation has the same number of atoms of each element on both sides, because atoms are not created or destroyed in a reaction.
Balanced equation
CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O
| Element | Left | Right |
|---|---|---|
| C | 1 | 1 ✓ |
| H | 4 | 4 ✓ |
| O | 4 | 4 ✓ |
Write element symbols with the right capital letters: Co is cobalt, but CO is carbon monoxide.
Try this
- Balance H2 + O2 = H2O.
- Try a combustion reaction like C3H8 + O2 = CO2 + H2O.
- Check the atom count table to see why it balances.
Key ideas
- Law of conservation of mass: atoms are rearranged, not created or destroyed.
- Only change the numbers in front (coefficients), never the formulas.
- Use the smallest whole-number coefficients.