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) Responses 10 10 15 15 20 20 30

Answer 1

To determine the total number of atoms present in the reaction, we need to consider both the reactants and the products.

1. Reactants:

   • 10 atoms of Carbon (C)
   • 20 atoms of Oxygen (O)

   Total atoms in reactants = 10 C + 20 O = 30 atoms

2. Products:

   • Each molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) contains 1 atom of carbon and 2 atoms of oxygen.
   • Since 10 molecules of CO2 are formed, the total number of atoms in the products is:
     • Carbon: 10 molecules × 1 atom C/molecule = 10 atoms of Carbon
     • Oxygen: 10 molecules × 2 atoms O/molecule = 20 atoms of Oxygen

   Total atoms in products = 10 C + 20 O = 30 atoms

Therefore, according to the law of conservation of matter, the total number of atoms before the reaction is equal to the total number of atoms after the reaction.

The total number of atoms present in this reaction is 30.