4FeS + 7O2 → 2Fe2O3 + 4SO2
Which statement accurately describes the chemical equation?
A. It is unbalanced because the mass of the reactants exceeds the mass of the products.
B. It is unbalanced because the sum of the coefficients of the reactants exceeds the sum of the coefficients of the products.
C. It is balanced because the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.
D. It is balanced because the total coefficients of the reactants are greater than the total coefficients of the products.
1 answer
The correct answer is:
C. It is balanced because the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.
In the given equation, the number of each type of atom on the reactant side (left) is equal to the number of each type on the product side (right). This means that the masses are equal, thus satisfying the law of conservation of mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
