To determine the reactants in a chemical equation, we need to identify the substances present before the reaction takes place. These are the starting materials that undergo a chemical change during the reaction.
Given the chemical equation:
[tex]\[ \text{HCl} + \text{KOH} \rightarrow \text{KCl} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \][/tex]
1. The chemical reaction indicates that hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with potassium hydroxide (KOH).
2. These substances undergo a reaction to form potassium chloride (KCl) and water (H₂O).
3. The substances on the left side of the arrow ([tex]\(\rightarrow\)[/tex]) are the reactants.
4. Therefore, the reactants in this equation are hydrochloric acid (HCl) and potassium hydroxide (KOH).
In conclusion, the reactants in the chemical reaction are:
[tex]\[ \text{HCl} \text{ and } \text{KOH} \][/tex]
