H1 What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?
A coefficient is a number showing the number representing the atoms or molecules of each species in a chemical equation
H2 Balanced Chemical Equation
In chemistry whenever a balanced chemical equation is written it is written in specific pattern i-e reactants leading to products
Reactants-------------->products
these reactants and products are actually molecules of or atoms represented by their symbols. These atoms or molecules have coefficients with them which are numbers showing actually their numbers of “■■■■■”. In a balanced chemical equation numbers of ■■■■■ of each type of atom or moleculecules is same on both sides of the equation. For example
2H2(g) + O2(g) ------------> 2H2O(aq)
H3Examples
this equations shows that 2 ■■■■■ or 2 molecules of of hydrogen gas combine with 1 mole or molecule of oxygen gas to give 2 ■■■■■ of water or two molecules of water.
Hence a cofficient in a chemical equation is a number which shows number of that particular atom or molecule participating that chemical reaction.
Conclusion
Coefficients are numbers of atoms or molecules present in a chemical equation.