Question

The balanced chemical equation shows a reaction between iron (Fe) and oxygen (O2 ). 4Fe+3O2→2Fe2O3 How does the equation show the law of conservation of mass?

Answer 1

The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction; instead, the mass of the reactants must equal the mass of the products. In the balanced chemical equation you provided:

\[ 4\text{Fe} + 3\text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 \]

we can analyze how it demonstrates this law:

1. **Counting Atoms**:
- On the left side (reactants), we have:
- Iron (Fe): 4 atoms
- Oxygen (O): \(3 \times 2 = 6\) atoms

Therefore, the total number of atoms on the left side is:
- Total = 4 Fe + 6 O = 10 atoms.

2. **Products Side**:
- On the right side (products), we have:
- Iron (Fe): \(2 \times 2 = 4\) atoms
- Oxygen (O): \(2 \times 3 = 6\) atoms

Therefore, the total number of atoms on the right side is:
- Total = 4 Fe + 6 O = 10 atoms.

3. **Equal Count of Atoms**:
Since the total number of atoms on both sides of the equation is the same (10 atoms), this confirms that mass is conserved in the reaction.

Thus, the balanced equation reflects the law of conservation of mass, as it shows that the number of each type of atom is equal on both sides, meaning that the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.