What is a word equation?

• A. A chemical equation written with symbols only.
• B. An equation that lists only the products.
• C. A representation of a chemical reaction using words to show the relationship between reactants and products.
• D. An equation that shows energy changes.

Answer: (C)

A word equation represents a chemical reaction using the names of the substances, not their chemical symbols, to show the relationship between reactants and products. It shows what reacts with what and what is formed, all in words, with an arrow indicating the direction of the reaction. For example: magnesium + hydrochloric acid → magnesium chloride + hydrogen. This helps you understand the idea of what is happening before you move on to balance with symbols.

The other ideas don’t fit as well. A uses symbols and formulas rather than names, so it’s a symbol equation. One option focuses only on the products, which doesn’t describe the reaction at all. The last option is about energy changes, which is a different aspect of reactions, not how the substances are named.