Download Steps to Balancing Chemical Equations

Steps to Balancing Chemical Equations
1. Count the number of atoms of each element in the reactants and the
products. List each element and how many atoms it has underneath
the reactants and products.
Example:
HCl
+
Na2S
H–1
Cl – 1
Na – 2
S–1
 H2S
+
NaCl
H–2
Cl – 1
Na – 1
S–1
2. To balance out the atoms add in coefficients.
Example:
2 HCl
+
Na2S
H–12
Cl – 1 2
Na – 2
S–1
 H2S
+
NaCl
+
2 NaCl
H–2
Cl – 1
Na – 1
S–1
Example:
2 HCl
H–12
Cl – 1 2
Na – 2
S–1
+
Na2S
 H2S
H–2
Cl – 1 2
Na – 1 2
S–1
3. Make sure that there are equal numbers of atoms for each element on
both sides of the equation.