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Balancing Equations Worksheet Generator

Make a free printable worksheet of balanced chemical equations, with an answer key on the second page.

Pick how many equations you want, then press Generate worksheet. Each equation is shown with blank boxes where the coefficients go. Fill in the numbers that make the atoms on both sides match. The answer key prints on the next page with the balanced equations.

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How balancing works

A chemical equation is balanced when each element has the same number of atoms on both sides. Take the combustion of methane: CH4 + O2 gives CO2 + H2O. On the left there are 1 carbon, 4 hydrogen and 2 oxygen. On the right there are 1 carbon, 2 hydrogen and 3 oxygen. Put a 2 in front of O2 and a 2 in front of H2O: CH4 + 2 O2 gives CO2 + 2 H2O. Now both sides have 1 carbon, 4 hydrogen and 4 oxygen. The equation is balanced.

The golden rule: change only the coefficients, the big numbers in front of each formula. Never change the subscripts, the small numbers inside a formula, because that changes the substance. H2O is water; H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide, a different substance.

Start with the hardest element

Balance the element that appears in only one formula on each side first, and leave hydrogen and oxygen until last, because they often appear in several formulas. Check your answer by counting every element on both sides.

Every equation is checked

Each of the 30 equations in the bank is checked by atom count, and the test run for this page generates 50 worksheets and checks that every equation on them balances. If an equation did not balance, it would never reach the worksheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Count the atoms of each element on both sides. Change only the numbers in front of each formula, called coefficients, until every element has the same count on both sides. Never change the small numbers inside a formula, because that changes the substance itself.
Each equation is shown with blank boxes where the coefficients go. You fill in the numbers that balance it. The answer key on the second page shows the balanced equation with the right coefficients.
You pick 5, 10 or 15. The equations are picked at random from a bank of 30 checked reactions, so each worksheet is different.
Yes. Every equation in the bank is checked by atom count in the tool code, and the test run for this page generates 50 worksheets and checks that every equation on them balances. The answer key shows the same coefficients the check uses.
Combustion, synthesis, decomposition, single displacement and double displacement. Each worksheet mixes several types.
Press Generate worksheet, then press Print. The worksheet prints on its own page and the answer key prints on the next page, with no website menus or buttons.
Yes. Free, no signup, no payment. The worksheet is built in your browser and printed from your own printer.

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