Which of the following rules should you follow to correctly balance chemical equations?

• A. Balance the equation by only adjusting the coefficients of the products.
• B. Adjust the coefficients of compounds and elements to ensure the same number of each atom on both sides of the equation.
• C. Add or remove atoms from the reactants or products as needed.
• D. Change the subscripts in chemical formulas to balance the number of atoms.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that balancing chemical equations requires the law of conservation of mass, which states that atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.
2. Recognize that to balance an equation, you can only adjust the coefficients (the numbers placed before compounds or elements) to ensure the same number of each type of atom appears on both sides of the equation.
3. Avoid changing the subscripts in chemical formulas because subscripts define the identity of the compounds and altering them changes the substances involved.
4. Do not add or remove atoms arbitrarily; instead, balance by changing coefficients to maintain the correct proportions of reactants and products.
5. Apply these rules by systematically comparing the number of atoms of each element on both sides and adjusting coefficients until the equation is balanced.