In this reaction, four iron (Fe) atoms react with three diatomic oxygen (O2) molecules to produce two formula units of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3). When a scientist adds 15.4 grams of Fe to 3.6 grams of O2, the total mass of the products, which is iron(III) oxide, should be 19.0 grams.
Yes, this equation demonstrates the Law of Conservation of Matter, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. In this case, the total mass of the reactants (15.4 g of Fe + 3.6 g of O2 = 19.0 g) equals the total mass of the products, confirming that the mass remains constant throughout the reaction.