Question

What is meant by skeletal type chemical equation? How can it be represented? Using the equation for electrolytic decomposition of water, differentiate between a skeletal chemical equation and a balanced chemical equation?

Answer 1

SKELETON EQUATION

BALANCED CHEMICAL EQUATION

1. It describes a chemical reaction using the chemical formulas of the reactants and products.

1. It shows the number of molecules and atoms of both reactants and products.

2. It is unbalanced.

2. It is balanced.

3. For example:  Mg  +O2->MgO

         atoms:  1Mg  2O    1Mg 1O

 

 

3. For example:  2Mg+O2 ->2MgO

           atoms:  2Mg   2O   2Mg 2O