What is the Difference Between Balanced Equation and Skeleton Equation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between a balanced equation and a skeleton equation lies in the conservation of mass and the stoichiometric coefficients. Here are the key differences:
Balanced Equation:
- Follows the law of conservation of mass, ensuring that the number of atoms of each element in the reactants is equal to the number of atoms of the same element in the products.
- Has stoichiometric coefficients, which are the small whole numbers written before the chemical formulas in a balanced equation.
- Provides the actual number of molecules of each substance involved in the reaction.
Example of a balanced equation: $$2{H2}(g) + {O2}(g) \to 2{H_2}O(l)$$.
Skeleton Equation:
- Does not follow the law of conservation of mass, meaning that the number of atoms on the reactant side is not equal to the number of atoms on the product side.
- Does not have stoichiometric coefficients.
- Represents a general chemical reaction without specifying the exact number of molecules of each substance.
Example of a skeleton equation: $${H2}(g) + {O2}(g) \to {H_2}O(l)$$.
In summary, a balanced equation gives the actual number of molecules of each substance involved in a reaction and follows the law of conservation of mass, while a skeleton equation provides a general representation of a chemical reaction without specifying the exact number of molecules and does not follow the law of conservation of mass.
Comparative Table: Balanced Equation vs Skeleton Equation
Here is a table comparing balanced equations and skeleton equations:
Feature | Balanced Equation | Skeleton Equation |
---|---|---|
Definition | A balanced chemical equation gives the actual number of each reactant that react with each other and the products formed in the reaction. It provides the ratios between reactants and products. | A skeleton equation shows only the reactants of the reaction, without specifying the actual number of molecules or the products formed. |
Coefficients | A balanced equation may or may not contain stoichiometric coefficients. | A skeleton equation has no coefficients. |
Usage | Balanced equations are used for calculating the amount of product obtained from a reaction or the amount of reactant needed to produce a certain amount of product. | Skeleton equations are used to show the sequence of reactions or to represent the overall chemical reaction without specifying the actual number of molecules or the products formed. |
Example | Balanced chemical equation for the decomposition of sodium oxide: $$2Na2O \longrightarrow 4Na + O2$$. | Skeleton equation for the decomposition of sodium oxide: $$Na2O \longrightarrow Na + O$$. |
The key difference between a balanced equation and a skeleton equation is that a balanced equation provides the actual number of molecules of each reactant and product, while a skeleton equation only shows the reactants without specifying the actual number of molecules or the products formed.
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