Dr. Stephen Lukacs (October 2017)
Atoms and molecules, or reactants, come together to form new atoms and molecules, or products. Reactions are that process of converting reactants into products, creating an endless array of substances to meet our modern needs.
(November 2017) Reactions are the conversion of reactants or starting materials into final products. Balancing reactions ensure that whatever quantities enter the reaction process also exit. Just like cooking or mixing drinks, all things have a proper proportion and balancing reactions are simply those proper proportions to the natural mixture of atoms and molecules.
Practicing balancing reactions requires time, patience, and clear thought. So get cracking on this necessary tool.
(November 2017) A discussion on the general types of reactions: Precipitation, Neutralization, Redox, Combustion, Synthesis, and Decomposition.
(November 2017) Weighing the mass of reactants or products based on the molecular formula is an important first step to knowing the amount of the substance in moles.
Be sure the carefully watch how the significant figures are calculated, using both the multiplication/division rule and then the addition/subtraction rule.
(November 2017) Moles are simply an amount of any substance. Moles are also the common ground and currency of reactants and products through balanced reactions and stoichiometry.
Now with a complete understanding of moles, you can safely move onto stoichiometry, the center of mass for chemical reactions.