What is a coefficient in a chemical equation?

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-02T19:57:31

In Chemistry the coefficient is the number in front of the formula.
The coefficient tells us how many molecules of a given formula are present.

Like Algebra the Coefficient is the number in front of the variable terms.

#4x^2y# The coefficient is #4#

In Chemistry the coefficient is the number in front of the formula.
The coefficient tells us how many molecules of a given formula are present.

#2H_2O# means we have #2# molecules of water

In the balanced chemical equation for Ammonia

#N_2 + 3H_2 -> 2NH_3#

We know we have coefficients of
#1# for #N_2#
#3# for #H_2#
and
#2# for #NH_3#

It takes #1# molecule of #N_2# with #3# molecules of #H_2# to produce #2# molecules of #NH_3#