Use the chemical reaction to answer the question.

Question

NaHCO3+HC2H3O2→NaC2H3O2+H2O+CO2
NaHCO
3
+
HC
2
H
3
O
2
→
NaC
2
H
3
O
2
+
H
2
O
+
CO
2
A student mixes baking soda (NaHCO3
NaHCO
3
) and acetic acid (HC2H3O2
HC
2
H
3
O
2
) to produce a chemical reaction shown. Which statement about the reaction is correct?

(1 point)
Responses

Atoms of Na are destroyed during the reaction.
Atoms of Na are destroyed during the reaction.

There are more H atoms after the reaction.
There are more H atoms after the reaction.

Some atoms gain mass after the reaction.
Some atoms gain mass after the reaction.

The atoms of the reactants are regrouped during the reaction.

Answer 1

The correct statement about the reaction is:

The atoms of the reactants are regrouped during the reaction.

In a chemical reaction, atoms are neither created nor destroyed; they are simply rearranged to form new products. This means that the same number and types of atoms are present before and after the reaction, just in different configurations.

The other statements are incorrect:

• Atoms of Na are not destroyed; they are present in both the reactants and products.
• The number of H atoms is conserved; they are rearranged but not increased.
• Atoms do not gain mass in a chemical reaction; the total mass remains constant due to the law of conservation of mass.