Chemistry Examples

The law of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created nor destroyed. There are no more or less atoms at the end of a chemical reaction than there were at the beginning. To balance a chemical equation, every element must have the same number of atoms on each side of the equation.

${\displaystyle N}$ is a balanced element because there is the same number of atoms of ${\displaystyle N}$ in each side of the equation.

${\displaystyle H}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle H}$, multiply ${\displaystyle N{H}_3}$ from the left side by ${\displaystyle 2}$ and ${\displaystyle H_{2}O}$ from the right side by ${\displaystyle 3}$.

${\displaystyle O}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle O}$, multiply ${\displaystyle O_2}$ from the left side by ${\displaystyle 2}$.

${\displaystyle N}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle N}$, multiply ${\displaystyle NO}$ from the right side by ${\displaystyle 2}$.

${\displaystyle H}$ is a balanced element because there is the same number of atoms of ${\displaystyle H}$ in each side of the equation.

${\displaystyle O}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle O}$, multiply ${\displaystyle 2O_2}$ from the left side by ${\displaystyle 5}$ and ${\displaystyle 2NO,3H_{2}O}$ from the right side by ${\displaystyle 6}$.

${\displaystyle N}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle N}$, multiply ${\displaystyle 2N{H}_3}$ from the left side by ${\displaystyle 2}$.

${\displaystyle H}$ is a balanced element because there is the same number of atoms of ${\displaystyle H}$ in each side of the equation.

${\displaystyle O}$ is a balanced element because there is the same number of atoms of ${\displaystyle O}$ in each side of the equation.