A student writes the equation that summarizes respiration incorrectly
C_6 H_12 O_6 + 6O_2 ----> 3CO + 3CO_2 + 6H_2O
Which of the following statements correctly identifies the mistake in balancing the equation?
a. Not enough oxygen atoms are created in the products
b. Not enough carbon atoms appear in the products
c. Too many hydrogen atoms appear in the products
d. Too many oxygen atoms are created in the products
I am not that confident with this topic but I believe it is A. Though clarification would be great :)
@bobpursley this doesn't f'ing help
You are correct. The mistake in balancing the equation is that not enough oxygen atoms are created in the products. In the given equation, there are only 5 oxygen atoms on the reactant side (6O₂) but 8 oxygen atoms on the product side (3CO + 3CO₂ + 6H₂O). The correct balanced equation for respiration is:
C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O
Now there are 12 oxygen atoms in the products, which balances the equation. So, option a. Not enough oxygen atoms are created in the products, is the correct statement.
To determine the mistake in balancing the equation, we need to examine the number of atoms on each side of the equation. Let's count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation:
On the reactant side:
C: 6
H: 12
O: 6
On the product side:
C: 6
H: 12
O: 9
Comparing the number of atoms, we can see that there is an imbalance in the number of oxygen atoms.
The correct answer is (a) "Not enough oxygen atoms are created in the products."
To balance the equation, we need to add 3 more oxygen atoms to the product side. The balanced equation should be:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O
Count the O in each side.
left= 18
right=15