State symbols are added to chemical equations to indicate whether reactants and products are solids, liquids, gases, or dissolved in water. Specifically, (s) denotes a solid, (l) a liquid, (g) a gas, and (aq) dissolved in water. For example, in the equation S(s) + O2(g) → SO2(g), the state symbols show sulfur as a solid, oxygen as a gas, and sulfur dioxide as a gas.

1. What do state symbols show?

2. What do state symbols show?
State symbols are added to a symbol equation to show
whether the reactants and products are:

3. What do state symbols show?
State symbols are added to a symbol equation to show
whether the reactants and products are:
 solid – symbol is (s)
 liquid – symbol is (l)
 gas – symbol is (g)
 dissolved in water – symbol is (aq).

4. What do state symbols show?
State symbols are added to a symbol equation to show
whether the reactants and products are:
 solid – symbol is (s)
 liquid – symbol is (l)
 gas – symbol is (g)
 dissolved in water – symbol is (aq).
S (s) + O2 (g)  SO2 (g)

5. What do state symbols show?
State symbols are added to a symbol equation to show
whether the reactants and products are:
 solid – symbol is (s)
 liquid – symbol is (l)
 gas – symbol is (g)
 dissolved in water – symbol is (aq).
S (s) + O2 (g)  SO2 (g)
With state symbols in place, this symbol equation now
shows that the sulfur is a solid, the oxygen is a gas and
the sulfur dioxide is also a gas.