Question at position 3
How many oxygen (O) atoms should be on the products side for the equation below to satisfy the Law of Conservation of Mass?
2Fe2O3 + 3C -->
4Fe + 3CO2
To determine the number of oxygen (O) atoms on the product side of the equation, we need to balance the equation by adjusting the coefficients.
Let's start by counting the number of oxygen atoms on the reactant side, which is 2Fe2O3:
2Fe2O3
Since each Fe2O3 molecule contains 3 oxygen atoms, we have:
2 x 3 = 6 O atoms
On the product side, we need to ensure that the number of O atoms is equal to the number on the reactant side to satisfy the Law of Conservation of Mass.
So, we should have 6 oxygen (O) atoms on the product side as well.
To determine the number of oxygen (O) atoms on the products side, we need to balance the equation. Balancing the equation ensures that the Law of Conservation of Mass is satisfied, meaning that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
We start by counting the number of oxygen (O) atoms on the reactants side, which is 3 in Fe2O3.
Next, we need to determine how many oxygen (O) atoms are needed on the products side to balance the equation. This can be done by adjusting the coefficients in front of the chemical formula.
Since there are no oxygen atoms in the reactant C, we only need to consider the Fe2O3. To balance the equation, we need to have the same number of oxygen atoms on both sides.
The balanced equation for this reaction is:
2Fe2O3 + 3C -> 4Fe + 3CO2
In this balanced equation, there are a total of 6 oxygen (O) atoms on the products side, which satisfies the Law of Conservation of Mass.