Question

True or false? Coefficients can be fractions when balancing a chemical equation. Whether true or false, explain why this can or cannot occur.

Short answer

False. Coefficients cannot be fractions when balancing a chemical equation because they represent the number of molecules or moles of a substance, and having a fraction of a molecule or a mole is not possible in basic chemical reactions.

Step-by-step solution

Determine the role of coefficients in balancing chemical equations

In balancing chemical equations, we need to make sure that the number of each type of atom on the reactants' side is equal to the number of atoms of the same type on the products' side. We achieve this by adjusting the coefficients - the numbers placed in front of chemical formulas to indicate the amount of each substance involved in a reaction.

Assess whether coefficients can be fractional

Coefficients represent the number of molecules or moles of a substance in a chemical equation. Since we cannot have a fraction of a molecule or a mole of a substance, coefficients must be whole numbers (integers). Using fractions as coefficients would not make sense from a physical standpoint, as it implies splitting atoms or molecules - which is not possible in basic chemical reactions.

Conclude the answer and explain

Coefficients cannot be fractions when balancing a chemical equation. This is because coefficients represent the number of molecules or moles of a substance, and it is not possible to have a fraction of a molecule or a mole in a reaction. Therefore, the statement is false.

Key concepts

Coefficients in Chemical Reactions

When we look at chemical reactions, we essentially see a recipe of how substances transform from reactants to products. Each component of this recipe is represented by chemical symbols and numbers. Among these numbers, the coefficients play a pivotal role. They tell us exactly how many units (whether these are atoms, molecules, or moles) of each reactant are needed to react completely with other reactants to form the desired product.

Adjusting the coefficients is how we balance a chemical equation. It ensures that the law of conservation of mass is obeyed, meaning the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products. For a chemical reaction to be accurately depicted, the coefficients must be whole numbers. This is because having a fraction would imply that particles can be divided, which contradicts the discrete nature of atomic particles in chemical reactions.

Chemical Equation Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is a section of chemistry that involves using the relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction to calculate quantities of substances. It's a vital concept because it allows chemists to predict how much of each substance is needed or produced in a reaction. Balancing equations is the first step in stoichiometry, as it provides the proportions (coefficients) used to make these calculations.

These coefficients indicate the stoichiometric ratios, which tell us, for example, how many moles of oxygen are required to react with one mole of hydrogen to form water. Correctly balanced chemical equations ensure that these stoichiometric calculations are precise, which is essential for things like creating pharmaceuticals, designing chemical processes, and even baking a cake!

Molecules and Moles

In the realm of chemistry, molecules are the smallest units of compounds that can exist while retaining the compound's chemical properties. A mole, however, is a unit used to express amounts of a chemical substance. One mole corresponds to Avogadro's number (\(6.022 \times 10^{23}\) entities) of molecules, atoms, or other fundamental units.

When dealing with chemical reactions, moles are a convenient way to express quantities because they allow chemists to use a common unit for counting particles, regardless of the type of substance. The coefficients in chemical equations often refer to the number of moles of each substance involved. This concept is key for anyone in the field of chemistry, as it bridges the gap between the microscopic scale of atoms and molecules and the macroscopic world we can measure and observe.