Question

in which chemical equation is the number of atoms in the reactants the same as the number of atoms in the products?

ch4 + o2 -> co2 + 2h2o

Answer 1

To determine if the chemical equation \( \text{CH}_4 + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \) is balanced, we need to count the number of each type of atom on both sides (reactants and products).

**Reactants:**
- For \( \text{CH}_4 \) (methane):
- 1 Carbon (C)
- 4 Hydrogen (H)

- For \( \text{O}_2 \) (oxygen):
- 2 Oxygen (O)

Total in reactants:
- Carbon: 1
- Hydrogen: 4
- Oxygen: 2

**Products:**
- For \( \text{CO}_2 \) (carbon dioxide):
- 1 Carbon (C)
- 2 Oxygen (O)

- For \( 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \) (water):
- 4 Hydrogen (H)
- 2 Oxygen (O)

Total in products:
- Carbon: 1
- Hydrogen: 4
- Oxygen: 4 (2 from \( \text{CO}_2 \) and 2 from \( 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \))

**Summary of counts:**
- Reactants:
- C: 1, H: 4, O: 2
- Products:
- C: 1, H: 4, O: 4

The number of atoms of Carbon and Hydrogen is the same on both sides, but the number of Oxygen atoms is not the same (2 in reactants vs. 4 in products).

Therefore, the equation is **not balanced**.

To balance the equation, the correct form would be:

\[ \text{CH}_4 + 2\text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \]

This way, we would have:
- Reactants: C: 1, H: 4, O: 4
- Products: C: 1, H: 4, O: 4

Now, the number of atoms in the reactants equals the number of atoms in the products.