Name: Date:
Student Exploration: Balancing Chemical Equations
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the
questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: coefficient, combustion, compound, decomposition, double replacement, element,
molecule, product, reactant, single replacement, subscript, synthesis
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
The scouts are making s’mores out of toasted marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
1. What is wrong with the image There are not ingredients shown to make the amount of smores
below? shown
2. Assuming a s’more requires two graham crackers, one marshmallow, and one piece of
chocolate, how many s’mores could you make with the ingredients shown?
2
Gizmo Warm-up
In a chemical reaction, reactants interact to form products.
This process is summarized by a chemical equation. In the
Balancing Chemical Equations Gizmo, look at the floating
molecules below the initial reaction: H2 + O2 H2O.
1. How many atoms are in a hydrogen molecule (H2)? 2
2. How many atoms are in an oxygen molecule (O2)? 2
3. How many hydrogen and oxygen atoms are in a water 3
molecule (H2O)?
4. In general, what does a subscript (such as the “2” in H2) tell How
you about the molecule? many
molec
ules
there
are
5. A chemical equation is balanced if the number of each type of atom on the left side is equal
to the number of each type on the right side. Is this reaction balanced?
Student Exploration: Balancing Chemical Equations
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the
questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: coefficient, combustion, compound, decomposition, double replacement, element,
molecule, product, reactant, single replacement, subscript, synthesis
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
The scouts are making s’mores out of toasted marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
1. What is wrong with the image There are not ingredients shown to make the amount of smores
below? shown
2. Assuming a s’more requires two graham crackers, one marshmallow, and one piece of
chocolate, how many s’mores could you make with the ingredients shown?
2
Gizmo Warm-up
In a chemical reaction, reactants interact to form products.
This process is summarized by a chemical equation. In the
Balancing Chemical Equations Gizmo, look at the floating
molecules below the initial reaction: H2 + O2 H2O.
1. How many atoms are in a hydrogen molecule (H2)? 2
2. How many atoms are in an oxygen molecule (O2)? 2
3. How many hydrogen and oxygen atoms are in a water 3
molecule (H2O)?
4. In general, what does a subscript (such as the “2” in H2) tell How
you about the molecule? many
molec
ules
there
are
5. A chemical equation is balanced if the number of each type of atom on the left side is equal
to the number of each type on the right side. Is this reaction balanced?
