A balanced equation in chemistry is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction where the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This ensures that mass is conserved, following the Law of Conservation of Mass.
In a balanced equation, the reactants (substances you start with) and the products (substances formed) are represented by their chemical formulas, and their quantities are adjusted using coefficients to ensure that for every atom on the reactant side, there is an equal atom on the product side.
An example of a balanced symbol equation is:
2HCl (aq) + CaCO3 (s) ⟶ CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)
Balancing equations is a fundamental skill in GCSE Chemistry, as it allows students to accurately describe chemical reactions and predict the amounts of products formed.
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