In a chemical reaction, the law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a closed system. Therefore, the total mass of the reactants should equal the total mass of the products.
Let's calculate the total mass of the reactants:
- Mass of reactant 1 = 12 g
- Mass of reactant 2 = 23 g
Total mass of reactants = 12 g + 23 g = 35 g
Now, we have the mass of product 1:
- Mass of product 1 = 15 g
Let the mass of product 2 be \( x \). According to the law of conservation of mass:
Total mass of products = Mass of product 1 + Mass of product 2 35 g = 15 g + x
Now solve for \( x \):
x = 35 g - 15 g x = 20 g
Therefore, the mass of product 2 is 20 g.