How to use the Chemical Equation Balancer
- Type reactants and products separated by + and =, e.g. Fe + O2 = Fe2O3.
- Read the balanced equation.
- Use the atom table to confirm both sides match.
What does this tool do?
Atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction, so every element must appear in equal numbers on both sides. Balancing means finding the coefficients that make this true.
The balancer solves this exactly using linear algebra with fractions, then scales to the smallest whole numbers. It tells you when an equation can't be balanced or has more than one independent solution.
Why use it?
- Exact, not trial and error.
- Atom check table.
- Handles brackets and hydrates.
Example
C3H8 + O2 = CO2 + H2O balances to C3H8 + 5O2 → 3CO2 + 4H2O.
Privacy
The calculation happens instantly in your browser. The numbers you enter are not sent to our servers or saved. There's no account to create and nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
Can it balance ionic equations?
Not yet — charges and electrons aren't supported. Balance the neutral compounds instead.
Last reviewed by the M2Toolkit team.