Glucose is a reactant in the following chemical reaction.

Question

C6H12O6 + O2 →
CO2 + H2O

What, if anything, is wrong with this chemical reaction?

Responses

Nothing is wrong with this reaction.
Nothing is wrong with this reaction.

Glucose should be on the right side of the equation.
Glucose should be on the right side of the equation.

The reaction does not correctly show the conservation of mass.
The reaction does not correctly show the conservation of mass.

The reaction represents a physical change, not a chemical change.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

The reaction does not correctly show the conservation of mass.

The reaction as it is written is not balanced. In a balanced chemical equation, the number of atoms of each element should be the same on both sides of the equation. The correct balanced equation for the complete combustion of glucose (C6H12O6) in the presence of oxygen (O2) is:

\[ C6H12O6 + 6O2 \rightarrow 6CO2 + 6H2O \]

This equation ensures that the conservation of mass is maintained, as the number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms are equal on both sides.