Question
When you multiply the coefficient times the subscript, what information does this provide in the reaction?
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GPT-4o mini
In a chemical reaction, the coefficients in a balanced chemical equation represent the number of moles of each reactant and product involved in the reaction, while the subscripts indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule of a compound.
When you multiply the coefficient by the subscript for a given compound, it provides the total number of atoms of a specific element present in that compound across the entire reaction. This information is crucial for understanding mass balance and stoichiometry in chemical reactions.
For example, consider the reaction:
\[ 2 \text{H}_2 + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \text{H}_2\text{O} \]
- In \(\text{H}_2\), the subscript "2" indicates that there are 2 hydrogen atoms per molecule. With a coefficient of "2", this results in \(2 \times 2 = 4\) hydrogen atoms from hydrogen gas.
- In \(\text{H}_2\text{O}\), the subscript "2" for hydrogen indicates 2 hydrogen atoms per water molecule, and with a coefficient of "2", this yields \(2 \times 2 = 4\) hydrogen atoms in total from water.
This multiplication helps verify that the number of atoms of each element is conserved during the reaction, following the law of conservation of mass. Therefore, the product of coefficients and subscripts is essential for stoichiometric calculations, balancing equations, and understanding the quantities of reactants and products involved in a reaction.
When you multiply the coefficient by the subscript for a given compound, it provides the total number of atoms of a specific element present in that compound across the entire reaction. This information is crucial for understanding mass balance and stoichiometry in chemical reactions.
For example, consider the reaction:
\[ 2 \text{H}_2 + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \text{H}_2\text{O} \]
- In \(\text{H}_2\), the subscript "2" indicates that there are 2 hydrogen atoms per molecule. With a coefficient of "2", this results in \(2 \times 2 = 4\) hydrogen atoms from hydrogen gas.
- In \(\text{H}_2\text{O}\), the subscript "2" for hydrogen indicates 2 hydrogen atoms per water molecule, and with a coefficient of "2", this yields \(2 \times 2 = 4\) hydrogen atoms in total from water.
This multiplication helps verify that the number of atoms of each element is conserved during the reaction, following the law of conservation of mass. Therefore, the product of coefficients and subscripts is essential for stoichiometric calculations, balancing equations, and understanding the quantities of reactants and products involved in a reaction.