A chemical equation is a written representation of a chemical reaction that shows the reactants (starting substances) and products (new substances formed) using their chemical formulas. It uses symbols and formulas instead of words to make the reaction clear and concise.
- The substances that react are written on the left side (reactants).
- The substances formed are written on the right side (products).
- An arrow (→) separates them, meaning “yields” or “produces.”
- Coefficients (numbers in front of formulas) are used to balance the equation so that the law of conservation of mass is followed—meaning the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides.
- Sometimes, special conditions like heat (∆), catalyst, or state of matter (solid, liquid, gas, aqueous)