Suppose 10 atoms of carbon (C) react with 20 atoms of oxygen (O) to form 10 molecules of carbon dioxide ( CO2 ). According to the law of conservation of matter, how many atoms are present in this reaction?(1 point)

Answer 1

In the reaction where 10 atoms of carbon (C) react with 20 atoms of oxygen (O) to form carbon dioxide (CO₂), we can determine the total number of atoms present by counting the atoms on both sides of the reaction.

1. On the reactant side:

   • Carbon: 10 atoms
   • Oxygen: 20 atoms
   • Total atoms in reactants = 10 (C) + 20 (O) = 30 atoms

2. On the product side:

   • Each molecule of CO₂ contains 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms. Since 10 molecules of CO₂ are formed:
     • Carbon: 10 atoms (1 atom per CO₂ × 10 CO₂)
     • Oxygen: 20 atoms (2 atoms per CO₂ × 10 CO₂)
   • Total atoms in products = 10 (C) + 20 (O) = 30 atoms

According to the law of conservation of matter, the total number of atoms before the reaction must equal the total number of atoms after the reaction.

Therefore, the total number of atoms present in the reaction is 30 atoms (10 C + 20 O).