What is a coefficient and how is it applied in chemistry?

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What is a coefficient and how is it applied in chemistry?

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Answer 1 · 2016-11-30T07:13:17

Consider a simple combustion reaction:

$C H_{4} (g) + 2 O_{2} (g) \to C O_{2} (g) + 2 H_{2} O (l)$ $CH_4(g) +2O_2(g) rarr CO_2(g) + 2H_2O(l)$

Explanation:

This is a stoichiometrically balanced equation: garbage in equals garbage out, and for every reactant particle there is a corresponding product particle.

The $stoichiometric coefficient$ $"stoichiometric coefficient"$ of methane gas is $1$ $1$ , that of dioxygen gas is $2$ $2$ , that of carbon dioxide $1$ $1$ , and that of water $2$ $2$ .

In other words the $stoichiometric coefficient$ $"stoichiometric coefficient"$ is the $number of EQUIVALENTS$ $"number of EQUIVALENTS"$ of stuff that react or occur as products. Capisce?

Teachers go to great lengths in explaining how to balance chemical equations. You have to be able to manipulate the coefficients so that the reaction balances stoichiometrically, and thereby reflects reality.

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What is a coefficient and how is it applied in chemistry?

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