Question

Why are state symbols used in chemical equations?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

The state symbols been referred to in the question are s,l,aq and g.

s stands for solid

l stands for liquid

aq stands for aqueous

g stands for gas

The major reason this symbols are used is to signify the state of the molecules involved in the reaction. This is because the state of a substance  sometimes shows the type of a product that will be formed and some other times, a substance in a particular state might have a certain property (required  for a reaction) and in some other state would not have the same property. Hence it helps in understanding a reaction better. The following example should assist in understanding better

ZnS04(aq) + Cu(s) → CuSO4(aq) + Zn(s)

The reaction above shows ZnSO4 to be aqueous in the reactant but ZnSO4 could also be solid, however, for this reaction to occur, the compound must be in it's aqueous form. This product been solid zinc also shows that the reaction is an electrolytic equation as zinc (Zn) has been displaced by copper (Cu) from the solution. This reaction will typically not proceed also if the ZnSO4 used is solid.