// FIELD GUIDE 05 — LEVEL L1–L2

A chemical reaction rearranges atoms into new substances — nothing is created or destroyed. A word equation is just a sentence for that swap. Build a few yourself below.

// FIG. 01 — WORD-EQUATION BUILDER (PICK REACTANTS, SEE THE PRODUCTS)

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// L1 — SIGNS A REACTION HAPPENED

Bubbles with no shaking, a colour change, heat or light given off, a new smell, a solid appearing from two clear liquids — these are your clues that atoms have rearranged into something new.

// L2 — CONSERVATION OF MASS

Reactions never create or destroy atoms — they only rearrange them. That's why the mass of the reactants always equals the mass of the products. Word equations obey this too: every atom on the left of the arrow reappears on the right, just wearing a different partner.

// REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

Wikipedia — Chemical reaction ↗ Wikipedia — Chemical equation ↗ BBC Bitesize — Science (chemistry) ↗

Cross-check against your own exam board's specification (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, SQA).