What is a balanced chemical equation?

A balanced chemical equation is vital in illustrating the conservation of mass, which is a foundational principle in chemistry. In a balanced equation, the number of atoms for each element remains constant throughout the reaction, meaning that the total quantity of each type of atom is equal on both the reactant (left) and product (right) sides of the equation. This equality demonstrates that atoms are neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction; they are simply rearranged to form new substances.

This concept is not just a formality; it has crucial implications for stoichiometry, predicting the outcome of reactions, and understanding the quantitative relationships between reactants and products. By ensuring that a balanced equation has equal numbers of atoms for each element on both sides, it provides a clear representation of what occurs in a chemical reaction without violating the law of conservation of mass.