Suppose 10 atoms of carbon (C) react with 20 atoms of oxygen (O) to form 10 molecules of carbon dioxide ( CO2

Question

CO
2
). According to the law of conservation of matter, how many atoms are present in this reaction?(1 point)
Responses

30
30

20
20

15
15

10

Answer 1

To determine the total number of atoms present in the reaction, we need to consider both the reactants and the products.

1. Reactants:

   • Carbon (C): 10 atoms
   • Oxygen (O): 20 atoms

   Total atoms in reactants = 10 (C) + 20 (O) = 30 atoms

2. Products:

   • In carbon dioxide (CO₂), each molecule consists of 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms. Since there are 10 molecules of CO₂ formed, the total number of atoms in the products is:
     • Carbon: 10 atoms (1 per molecule × 10 molecules)
     • Oxygen: 20 atoms (2 per molecule × 10 molecules)

   Total atoms in products = 10 (C) + 20 (O) = 30 atoms

According to the law of conservation of matter, the total number of atoms must be the same in both reactants and products.

Thus, there are 30 total atoms present in this reaction.

The correct response is 30.