How many atoms of carbon (C) are present in the reactants of the following chemical equation?

In the chemical equation \( C_7H_{16} + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O \), we can look at the reactants:

- \( C_7H_{16} \) contains 7 carbon atoms.
- \( O_2 \) does not contain any carbon atoms.

Therefore, the total number of carbon atoms in the reactants is 7.

The correct response is **7 atoms**.