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.

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

${\displaystyle O}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle O}$, multiply ${\displaystyle Mn{O}_2}$ from the left side by ${\displaystyle 3}$ and ${\displaystyle K_{2}Mn{O}_4,H_{2}O}$ from the right side by ${\displaystyle 3}$.

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

${\displaystyle O}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle O}$, multiply ${\displaystyle 3K_{2}Mn{O}_4,3H_{2}O}$ from the right side by ${\displaystyle 3}$.

${\displaystyle K}$ is not a balanced element. To balance ${\displaystyle K}$, multiply ${\displaystyle KOH}$ from the left side by ${\displaystyle 6}$ and from the right side by ${\displaystyle 2}$.

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

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