Chemical Equation: Understanding the Basics

Preparation of Lead from Galena

Lead can be prepared from galena [lead(II) sulfide] by first roasting the galena in oxygen gas to form lead(II) oxide and sulfur dioxide. Heating the metal oxide with more galena forms the molten metal and more sulfur dioxide.

Chemical Equation

A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction in the form of symbols and formulae, with the reactant entities on the left and the product entities on the right, with a plus sign between the entities in both the reactants and the products and an arrow pointing towards the products and indicating the direction of the reaction. The absolute values of the stoichiometric numbers are represented by the coefficients adjacent to the symbols and formulas of things. Jean Beguin drew the first chemical equation in 1615.