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How to write a Chemical Reaction in Chemical Equation Form?

The description of a chemical reaction in sentences is quite long and time consuming. To make it shorter, a chemical reaction can be written in word equation form.
For e.g. – When a magnesium ribbon burns in air / oxygen, it gives magnesium oxide.

Activity – 1


 Word equation

Magnesium + Oxygen → Magnesium Oxide
Reactants                              Product
This word equation can be made more useful, shorter, concise and informative by using chemical formulae and symbols instead of words.
Mg + O2  →  MgO
Reactants     Product
Thus, a chemical equation represents a chemical reaction.


Terms Used in Chemical Equation -.

(i) Reactants
The chemical substances (One or more) that undergo chemical changes in the reaction are called reactants. In the above reaction, magnesium and oxygen are reactants.

(ii) Products –
The new chemical substances ( one or more ) formed as a result of chemical reaction are called products. Magnesium oxide is product in the above example.

  • A chemical reaction or change of reactants into products involves chemical rearrangement of atoms by breaking of old bonds and making of new bonds.
  • When there are two or more reactants/ products, they are written with a plus sign (+) among them.

(iii) Arrow –
In a chemical equation, reactants and products are separated by an arrow sign.

  • The head of an arrow always indicates toward products and shows the direction of the reaction. Whereas, the arrow tail point indicates toward reactants.
  • In general, the reactants are written on the left hand side (L.H.S.) and the products are written on the right hand side (R.H.S.)

Reactants  → Products
(L.H.S.)           (R.H.S.)


A complete chemical equation compiles reactants, products, their physical states (g, l or s ) and other conditions such as heat changes, temperature required, catalyst, pressure etc. at one place in symbols.


Next –
Balanced and unbalanced Chemical Equations 

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