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Chemistry vocabulary · Reactions and Equations

Chemical equation

Meaning in chemistry, with examples

nounCore term

In chemistry, chemical equation means: A short written description of a reaction using formulas and symbols, with the reactants on the left, an arrow in the middle and the products on the right.

In Turkish: kimyasal denklem, tepkime denklemi

How it is used

Used in exams, lab reports and papers. You write and balance an equation and add state symbols: (s), (l), (g) and (aq). Read the arrow aloud as 'gives', 'forms' or 'reacts to form'.

Example sentences

  1. Write the chemical equation for the combustion of methane, including state symbols.

  2. The chemical equation tells you that two moles of hydrogen react with one mole of oxygen.

Common collocations

  • write a chemical equation
  • balance a chemical equation
  • ionic equation
  • word equation
  • state symbols
  • balanced equationA chemical equation with the same number of atoms of each element on both sides and the same total charge, so that mass is conserved.
  • chemical reactionA process in which substances change into new substances with different properties, as bonds between atoms break and new bonds form.
  • reactantA starting substance that is used up or changed in a chemical reaction. In an equation, these substances are written to the left of the arrow.
  • productA substance formed in a chemical reaction. In an equation, these new substances are written to the right of the arrow.
  • stoichiometryThe calculation of the amounts of reactants and products in a reaction, using the mole ratios from the balanced equation.

More terms: Reactions and Equations

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