In the balanced chemical equation, below, determine what the coefficient and the subscript represent in 6H2O.

Choose ALL the answers that are correct.
a
The 2 subscript represents 2 atoms in each water molecule.
b
The 6 coefficient represents 6 atoms in each water molecule.
c
The 6 coefficient represents 6 molecules of water.
d
The 2 subscript represents 2 water molecules.

1 answer

In the balanced chemical equation, the term 6H2O indicates the presence of water molecules, where "H2O" represents the chemical formula for water.

Let's analyze the options:

a. The 2 subscript represents 2 atoms in each water molecule.
Correct. This is true because the subscript "2" in H2O indicates that there are 2 hydrogen atoms in each water molecule.

b. The 6 coefficient represents 6 atoms in each water molecule.
Incorrect. The coefficient "6" does not represent the number of atoms in each molecule; instead, it represents how many molecules of water are present.

c. The 6 coefficient represents 6 molecules of water.
Correct. This is true, as the coefficient "6" indicates that there are 6 water molecules.

d. The 2 subscript represents 2 water molecules.
Incorrect. The subscript "2" refers to the number of hydrogen atoms in each H2O molecule, not the number of water molecules.

Therefore, the correct answers are:

  • a
  • c