Question

Use the chemical reaction to answer the question.%0D%0A%0D%0ANaHCO3+HC2H3O2→NaC2H3O2+H2O+CO2%0D%0ANaHCO%0D%0A3%0D%0A+%0D%0AHC%0D%0A2%0D%0AH%0D%0A3%0D%0AO%0D%0A2%0D%0A→%0D%0ANaC%0D%0A2%0D%0AH%0D%0A3%0D%0AO%0D%0A2%0D%0A+%0D%0AH%0D%0A2%0D%0AO%0D%0A+%0D%0ACO%0D%0A2%0D%0AA student mixes baking soda (NaHCO3%0D%0ANaHCO%0D%0A3%0D%0A) and acetic acid (HC2H3O2%0D%0AHC%0D%0A2%0D%0AH%0D%0A3%0D%0AO%0D%0A2%0D%0A) to produce a chemical reaction shown. Which statement about the reaction is correct?%0D%0A%0D%0A(1 point)%0D%0AResponses%0D%0A%0D%0AThere are more H atoms after the reaction.%0D%0AThere are more H atoms after the reaction.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe atoms of the reactants are regrouped during the reaction.%0D%0AThe atoms of the reactants are regrouped during the reaction.%0D%0A%0D%0AAtoms of Na are destroyed during the reaction.%0D%0AAtoms of Na are destroyed during the reaction.%0D%0A%0D%0ASome atoms gain mass after the reaction.

Answer 1

The correct statement about the reaction is:

**The atoms of the reactants are regrouped during the reaction.**

In a chemical reaction, atoms are neither created nor destroyed; they are merely rearranged to form new substances. This explains how the reactants (baking soda and acetic acid) combine to produce new products (sodium acetate, water, and carbon dioxide) through the rearrangement of their constituent atoms.

The other statements are incorrect because:

- There are not necessarily more H atoms after the reaction; the number of hydrogen atoms is conserved.
- Atoms of Na are not destroyed; they remain in the products.
- The mass of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction; atoms do not gain mass.