Skeleton Equations
Skeleton Equations are equations that are unbalanced, meaning they do not
have an equal amount of each element on both sides of the equation
Symbols to indicate state of compound:
(s) – solid
(g) – gas
(l) – liquid
(aq) – aqueous (dissolved in water)
Any diatomic element found by itself must have a subscript of 2!
Covert the following word equations to skeleton equations. Be sure to include to state of matter that each
compound as a subscript.
Example: Silver nitrate + copper  silver + copper nitrate
Solution: AgNO3 (aq) + Cu(s)  Ag(s) + Cu(NO3)2 (aq)
1. Iron + sulphur  Iron(II) sulphide (All solids)
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2. Hydrogen + chlorine  hydrogen chloride (all gases)
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3. Magnesium + oxygen  magnesium oxide (last one is a solid)
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4. Aluminum oxide  aluminum + oxygen (Starts with a solid)
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5. Water  Hydrogen + oxygen (obvious states)
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6. Hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide  sodium chloride + water
(mixing two solutions to
make a solid and liquid)
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7. Methane + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water (obvious states)
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8. Potassium hydroxide + hydrogen bromide  potassium bromide + water
solid and liquid)
(solid and gas make
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9. Carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide (obvious states)
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10. Tin (II) oxide + hydrogen  tin + water (starts with a solid)
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11. Propane (tricarbon octahydride) + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water (obvious states)
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12. Sodium hydroxide + phosphoric acid (Hydrogen phosphate)  Sodium phosphate + water. (starts
with solutions and makes a solution and a liquid)
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13. Calcium bicarbonate  calcium carbonate + carbon dioxide + water (solid makes a solid and two
gases)
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14. potassium + water  potassium hydroxide + hydrogen (obvious reactants forming a solution
and a gas)
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15. Lead(II) nitrate + potassium sulfide  potassium nitrate + lead(II) sulfide (two solutions forming a
precipitate and a solution)
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