Balancing equations

When a reaction occurs there are two main elements in this: The reactants and the products. It is simply a matter of being aware of your elements and their groups, electrons and a little bit of simple brain twisting!

Before we begin, it is important you know and understand these symbols and its just a matter of either you know it or you don't!

(s)- Solid
(l)- Liquid
(g)- Gaseous
(aq)- Aqueous

Now lets try some simple equations! For ease and simplicity lets start from the bottom with H2O, now what do we know about this substance? Yup its that's flavourless thing that comes out of your tap which let be honest no one enjoys unless its with juice, tea or a hot chocolate. If you understand this just skip ahead, wouldn't want to waste your tyme ;)

So water, let get it into its equation form:

H2    +    O2    ---->    H2O

So what the problem here? Did you spot it? Its unbalanced, every chemists nightmare! So how do we solve this? Well let me show ya!

So here is the current equation:

H    +    O    ---->    H2O

So as you can see we have two molecules on the left but three on the right, now as much I know you want to just leave that be as it is, chemistry is never that easy, we both know that! So lets take a closer look:

Left:                                      Right:
2 hydrogen                            2 Hydrogen
2 Oxygen                               1 Oxygen

As you can see we are lacking an extra hydrogen on the left so the symbol equation should actually be:

2H2    +    O2    ---->    2H2O


Notice the two before the hydrogen? Yeah, this is how you write it correctly NOT:

H4    +     O2    ---->    H2O

As this alters the element itself and if you didn't guess already that is like chemistry sin!

Now lets try a harder one:

Nitrogen + Hydrogen ----> Ammonia
N2          +   H2          ----> NH3

Yup, us students hate it, chemistry teachers love it... the dreaded ammonia and to be quite honest we don't have a reason to hate it, its just awkward as hell! So four molecules on the left, four molecules on the right but as you have probably noticed by now its not quite perfect yet. Well we can fix that right? Right? Nope its ammonia, no one can fix that! Ok I'm joking we can balance this you just need to be more logical about it. Well are you ready?

N2    +    H2    ---->    NH3

So what I tend to do is find a common multiple in the two hydrogen on both sides resulting in 6 being the common multiple. So lets apply this:

N2    +    H2    ---->    NH6

Wait that doesn't work because we cant change the build of an element right? So lets try this instead:

N2    +    H2    ---->    2NH3

So now we have two lots of ammonia meaning 6 hydrogen molecules and two nitrogen. So now the nitrogen on both sides are equal but now we have to sort the hydrogen on the left:

N2    +    3H2    ---->    2NH3

There isn't a lot you can teach about this, its just a lot of trial and error but don't be disheartened if you don't get this first tyme round just plod through because you will get it eventually!

Till next tyme! :)