Lesson 6.1: What is a Chemical Reaction?

Image
Methane and Oxygen React

• In the reaction, the bonds in the methane and oxygen molecule come apart, the atoms rearrange and then re-bond to form water and carbon dioxide.
• The little number written at the lower right after an atom (subscript) tells how many of that atom are in the molecule.
• The big number written in front of a molecule (coefficient) shows how many of that molecule there are.
• All the atoms in the products come from the atoms in the reactants.

Interactive
Combustion of Methane

Embed

• The reactants are on the left side of the equation and the products are on the right.
• In the reaction, the bonds in the methane and oxygen molecule come apart, the atoms rearrange and then re-bond to form water and carbon dioxide.

Image
Balanced Equation

• All the atoms in the reactants form the products so the mass of the reactants and the products is the same.
• No new atoms are created, and no atoms are destroyed.