A coefficient in a chemical equation serves to indicate the relative amounts of reactants and products involved in a chemical reaction. These coefficients are placed in front of the chemical formulas in the equation and represent the number of moles of each substance that participate in the reaction.
For example, in the balanced chemical equation:
\[ 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O \]
- The coefficient "2" in front of \( H_2 \) indicates that two moles of hydrogen gas are required.
- The coefficient "1" (implied, as it is not shown) in front of \( O_2 \) indicates that one mole of oxygen gas is required.
- The coefficient "2" in front of \( H_2O \) indicates that two moles of water are produced.
Balancing a chemical equation ensures that the law of conservation of mass is maintained, meaning that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Coefficients help achieve this balance, allowing chemists to understand the stoichiometry of the reaction, predict the amounts of products formed, and calculate reactant requirements.
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