A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction. In a chemical equation, the reactants are represented by symbols on the left side of an equal sign and the products of the reaction are represented by symbols on the right side of the equal sign. The number of atoms or molecules of each reactant and product is indicated below each symbol.
The physical state of each reactant and product is also indicated. A (g) after a symbol represents a gas, (l) represents a liquid, (s) represents a solid, and (aq) represents an aqueous solution. The arrow pointing from the reactants to the products indicates the direction in which the reaction occurs.
The general form of a chemical equation is:
A + B --> C + D