Questions: A Balancing Act * To indicate more than one unit taking part or being formed in a reaction, a number called a is placed in front of it to indicate how many units are involved. * To balance the previous equation, we can add a coefficient of 2 in front of NaOH . Now, check to see if the equation is balanced by counting the atoms below:

A Balancing Act
* To indicate more than one unit taking part or being formed in a reaction, a number called a  is placed in front of it to indicate how many units are involved.
* To balance the previous equation, we can add a coefficient of 2 in front of NaOH . Now, check to see if the equation is balanced by counting the atoms below:
Transcript text: A Balancing Act * To indicate more than one unit taking part or being formed in a reaction, a number called a $\qquad$ is placed in front of it to indicate how many units are involved. * To balance the previous equation, we can add a coefficient of 2 in front of NaOH . Now, check to see if the equation is balanced by counting the atoms below:
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Solution

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Solution Steps

Step 1: Understanding the Role of Coefficients

In a chemical equation, coefficients are used to indicate the number of units (molecules, atoms, or moles) of each substance involved in the reaction. These coefficients are placed in front of the chemical formulas to balance the equation according to the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Step 2: Balancing the Chemical Equation

To balance a chemical equation, we adjust the coefficients to ensure that the number of each type of atom is the same on both sides of the equation. In the given example, a coefficient of 2 is added in front of NaOH to balance the equation. This means that two units of NaOH are involved in the reaction.

Step 3: Checking the Balance of Atoms

After adding the coefficient, we need to verify that the equation is balanced by counting the atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. This involves ensuring that the number of sodium (Na), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) atoms is equal on both the reactant and product sides.

Final Answer

The number placed in front of a unit in a chemical equation to indicate how many units are involved is called a \(\boxed{\text{coefficient}}\).

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