What is a Balanced Chemical Equation. Why should Chemical Equations be Balanced

Answer: A chemical equation is a substance-based representation of a chemical process. The number of atoms in all of the molecules in a balanced chemical equation is equal on both sides of the equation.

• The Law of Conservation of Mass governs the balancing of a chemical equation.

• Mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, and the total mass of atoms or molecules on the reactant side should equal the total mass of elements or molecules on the product side.

• If the chemical equation is unbalanced, the law of conservation does not apply.