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A chemical equation isn’t exactly an equation.
A chemical equation does not represent an equality in a conventional mathematical sense, but indicates the direction and result of a chemical reaction. When reactants are placed together, they interact to form a new compound, or product:
reactant + reactant → product
In the equation, “+” indicates “reacts with,” and “→” indicates “produces.” However, an equality is present in that atoms are not created or destroyed. The total number of each type of atom before and after a reaction is constant, even though rearranged into new molecules.
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