Chapter 6: Chemical Reactions

Question 1

What are some clues that a chemical reaction has occured?

Answer 1

1. The color changes.
2. A solid forms.
3. Bubbles form.
4. Heat and/or a flame is produced, or heat is absorbed.

Question 2

What is the definition of a chemical reaction?

Answer 2

Chemical Reaction:

A process in which one or more substances are changed into one or more new substances by the reorganization of component atoms.

Question 3

What is a chemical equation?

Answer 3

A chemical equation is the representation of a chemical reaction showing the relative numbers of reactant and product molecules.

Reactants → Products

Ex: CH₄ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O

Question 4

In a chemical reaction, atoms are neither ________ nor ________.

Answer 4

In a chemical reaction, atoms are neither created nor destroyed.

Question 5

How is balancing a chemical equation useful?

Answer 5

All atoms present in the reactants must be accounted for among the products. Balancing the chemical equation is a method for making sure that the equation obeys this rule.

Thus, balancing a chemical equation is making sure that all atoms present in the reactants are accounted for among the products.

Question 6

The principle that lies at the heart of the balancing equations process is that ________________________.

Answer 6

The principle that lies at the heart of the balancing equations process is that atoms are conserved in a chemical reaction. Atoms are neither created nor destroyed. They are just grouped differently.

Question 7

What makes the “best” balanced equations?

Answer 7

The “best” balanced equations are ones with the smallest integer coeficients.