Balancing equations
I can balance chemical equations, and explain why it is important to ensure symbol equations are balanced.
Balancing equations
I can balance chemical equations, and explain why it is important to ensure symbol equations are balanced.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- All the atoms in the reactants of a chemical reaction are reorganised to form all the products of the reaction.
- There must be an equal number of each type of atom on both the reactant and product side of the equation.
- Chemical formulae cannot be altered to balance a reaction equation; only coefficients can change.
- Atoms cannot be created or destroyed. During a chemical reaction, atoms are simply rearranged into products.
Keywords
Word equation - A word equation represents a chemical reaction using the chemical names of the reactants and products.
Chemical formula - A chemical formula represents a substance using element symbols and the number / ratio of atoms of each element in the substance.
Symbol equation - A symbol equation represents a chemical reaction using the chemical formulas of the reactants and products.
Balanced symbol equation - A balanced symbol equation uses coefficients to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides of the equation.
Coefficient - A coefficient is the number placed in front of a chemical formula to balance an equation; it multiplies all the atoms in the formula and shows the ratio of substances in a reaction.
Common misconception
Pupils sometimes think that chemical formulae can be changed to balance atoms.
Put boxes around each formula in the equation / pretend there is a bucket of pre-made molecules which they can use to balance the number of atoms on each side. Stress that it takes perseverance and practice before equations are balanced.
To help you plan your year 10 chemistry lesson on: Balancing equations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 chemistry lesson on: Balancing equations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 chemistry lessons from the Calculations involving masses unit, dive into the full secondary chemistry curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
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Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
MgO
AlI₃
CuCO₃
NaOH
K₂SO₄
SrCl₂
H₂O (l)
H₂O (s)
H₂O (g)
NaCl (aq)
Hg (l)
He (g)
Exit quiz
6 Questions
describes a chemical reaction using chemical names
represents a substance using element symbols and numbers
describes chemical reactions using chemical formulae and state symbols