The Chemical Equation: Combustion of Methane

To balance an equation, we insert coefficients—not subscripts—in front of the chemical formulas as needed to make the number of each type of atom in the reactants equal to the number of each type of atom in the products.

To balance an equation, we insert coefficients—not subscripts—in front of the chemical formulas as needed to make the number of each type of atom in the reactants equal to the number of each type of atom in the products.