Copper (Cu) reacts with sulfur (S) to form copper sulfide as shown in the equation. A scientist adds 12.7 grams of Cu to 3.2 grams of S to start the reaction. In this reaction, all of the copper and all of the sulfur react. The scientist needs to determine how many grams of copper sulfide the reaction will produce. In 1–2 sentences, explain how to calculate the amount of copper sulfate this reaction will produce. Use the law of conservation of mass in the explanation.

Answer 1

To calculate the amount of copper sulfide produced in the reaction, the scientist can use the law of conservation of mass. This law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only rearranged. Thus, the total mass of the reactants should be equal to the total mass of the products. By determining the molar ratios of the reactants and products, the scientist can calculate the amount of copper sulfide that will be formed.