Student Exploration: Balancing Chemical Equations
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the
questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: coefficient, combustion, compou
...
Student Exploration: Balancing Chemical Equations
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the
questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: coefficient, combustion, compound, decomposition, double replacement, element,
molecule, product, reactant, single replacement, subscript, synthesis
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
The scouts are making s’mores out of toasted marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
1. What is wrong with the image
below?
2. Assuming a s’more requires two graham crackers, one marshmallow, and one piece of
chocolate, how many s’mores could you make with the ingredients shown?
Gizmo Warm-up
In a chemical reaction, reactants interact to form products.
This process is summarized by a chemical equation. In the
Balancing Chemical Equations Gizmo, look at the floating
molecules below the initial reaction: H2 + O2 H2O.
1. How many atoms are in a hydrogen molecule (H2)?
2. How many atoms are in an oxygen molecule (O2)?
3. How many hydrogen and oxygen atoms are in a water
molecule (H2O)?
4. In general, what does a subscript (such as the “2” in H2) tell
you about the molecule?
5. A chemical equation is balanced if the number of each type of atom on the left side is equal
to the number of each type on the right side. Is this reaction balanced?
There are not ingredients shown to make the amount of smores
shown
2
2
3
How
many
molec
ules
there
are
6
1
Activity A:
Balancing
equations
Get the Gizmo ready:
● Check that the Synthesis reaction is selected and that all
coefficients are set to one. (The coefficients are the numbers
in the boxes.)
Introduction: The equation H2 + O2 H2O is unbalanced because there are two oxygen
atoms on the reactants side of the equation, and only one on the products side of the
equation. To balance the equation, you cannot change the structure of any of the
molecules, but you can change the number of molecules that are used.
Question: How are chemical equations balanced?
1. Balance: Turn on Show histograms. The equation is balanced when there are equal
numbers of each type of atom represented on each side of the equation. In the Gizmo,
use the up and down arrows to adjust the numbers of hydrogen, oxygen, and water
molecules until the equation is balanced. When you are done, turn on Show summary
to check your answer.
Write the balanced equation here: H2 + O2 H2O
2. Solve: Turn off Show summary. Use the Choose reaction drop down menu to see other
equations, and balance them. Check your answers and then write the balanced equations.
2 Al + 6 HCl 2 AlCl3 + 3 H2
2 NaCl 2 Na + 1 Cl2
1 Na2S + 2 HCl 2 NaCl + 1 H2S
CH4 + O2 CO2 + H2O
3. Practice: Balance the following chemical equations. (These equations are not in the Gizmo.)
A. Na +
B. Na +
C. Mg +
D. KClO3
E. Al +
Cl2
H2O
O2
KCl +
CuO
NaCl
NaOH + H2
MgO
O2
Al2O3 + Cu
No
2 1 2
2
2
2
2
4
1
2
1
2
6
2
4
2
3
2
1
1 1
1
F. 1 I2 + 4 Na2S2O3 2 NaI + 2 Na2S4O6
G. 6 Mg + 1 P4 2 Mg3P2
Activity B:
Classifying
reactions
Get the Gizmo ready:
● Turn off Show summary and Show histograms.
Introduction: Chemical equations show how compounds and elements react with one
another. An element is a substance consistin
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