If a polyatomic ion is unchanged on both sides of the equation, count it as a unit. Count the number of atoms of each element that appears as a reactant and as a product.
Determine the correct chemical formulas for each reactant and product. The only downside to using skeleton equations as opposed to balanced equations is that skeleton equations dont tell you the quantity of stuff that reacts. Below are guidelines for writing and balancing chemical equations. A skeleton equation isnt a wrong way to look at a reaction it tells you what reacts to produce what. Finally with regard to balanced equations, recall that convention dictates use of the smallest whole-number coefficients. This is an example of a mole-mole calculation, when you start with moles of one substance and convert to moles of another substance by using the balanced chemical equation. A chemical equation that isnt balanced is called a skeleton equation. A conventional balanced equation with integer-only coefficients is derived by multiplying each coefficient by 2: (5.1.5) 2 C 2 H 6 + 7 O 2 6 H 2 O + 4 CO 2.
Note how the mol H 2 unit cancels, and mol O 2 is the new unit introduced.
