Why must a chemical reaction be balanced?

1 Answer
Nov 16, 2015

Because matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. I might as well ask whether I have to pay my credit card at the end of this month.

Explanation:

For every product particle there must be a corresponding reactant particle. Every chemical reaction that has ever been observed obeys that principle. Burn a given quantity of hydrocarbon in your home or in your motor, and a corresponding, stoichiometric quantity of the oxidation product is released.