To determine which equation best represents the conservation of matter, we must ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the reactant and product sides. This principle states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
Let's evaluate each equation:
-
6H2O + 6CO2 → C3H6O3 + 3O2
- Reactants:
- H: 12 (from 6H2O)
- C: 6 (from 6CO2)
- O: 18 (6 from H2O and 12 from CO2)
- Products:
- H: 6 (from C3H6O3)
- C: 3 (from C3H6O3)
- O: 5 (3 from C3H6O3 and 3 from 3O2)
- This equation does not conserve matter.
- Reactants:
-
6H2O + 10CO2 → C6H12O6 + 4O2
- Reactants:
- H: 12 (from 6H2O)
- C: 10 (from 10CO2)
- O: 26 (6 from H2O and 20 from CO2)
- Products:
- H: 12 (from C6H12O6)
- C: 6 (from C6H12O6)
- O: 24 (6 from C6H12O6 and 8 from 4O2)
- This equation does not conserve matter.
- Reactants:
-
3H2O + 3CO2 → C6H12O6 + 6O2
- Reactants:
- H: 6 (from 3H2O)
- C: 3 (from 3CO2)
- O: 12 (3 from H2O and 6 from CO2)
- Products:
- H: 12 (from C6H12O6)
- C: 6 (from C6H12O6)
- O: 18 (6 from C6H12O6 and 12 from 6O2)
- This equation does not conserve matter.
- Reactants:
-
6H2O + 6CO2 → C6H12O6 + 6O2
- Reactants:
- H: 12 (from 6H2O)
- C: 6 (from 6CO2)
- O: 24 (6 from H2O and 12 from CO2)
- Products:
- H: 12 (from C6H12O6)
- C: 6 (from C6H12O6)
- O: 24 (6 from C6H12O6 and 12 from 6O2)
- This equation conserves matter.
- Reactants:
The equation that best represents the conservation of matter is:
6H2O + 6CO2 → C6H12O6 + 6O2