To determine the total number of atoms present in the reaction according to the law of conservation of matter, we need to account for all the atoms before and after the reaction.
In the reaction, we have:
- Reactants:
- 10 atoms of carbon (C)
- 20 atoms of oxygen (O)
Total atoms in the reactants = 10 (C) + 20 (O) = 30 atoms.
- Products:
- The reaction produces 10 molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂).
- Each molecule of CO₂ contains 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms.
Therefore, in 10 molecules of CO₂:
- Carbon atoms = 10 molecules × 1 C/molecule = 10 C atoms
- Oxygen atoms = 10 molecules × 2 O/molecule = 20 O atoms
Total atoms in the 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. In this case, there are 30 atoms on both sides:
- Total atoms before the reaction = 30
- Total atoms after the reaction = 30
Thus, the total number of atoms in this reaction is 30 atoms.