Question

If you weighed the atoms that appear on the reactant side of the equation, would they have the same mass as the atoms that appear on the product side?

Answer 1

Answer: Yes,they will have the same mass.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to law of conservation of mass:

'Mass can neither be destroyed nor be created during a chemical reaction'

In a balanced chemical reaction :

• Total numbers of atoms on the reactants side are always equal to the total numbers of atoms on the product side.
• Total mass of the atoms on the reactant side of the equation is always equal to the total mass of atoms on the product side.

For example:

`2H_2+O_2\rightarrow 2H_2O`

Number of atoms on reactant side =

=(2)2 Hydrogen atoms + (1)2 Oxygen atoms = 6 atoms

Number of atoms on the product side =

=(2)((2 Hydrogen atoms) + (1 Oxygen atoms)) = 6 atoms

Mass of of reactants = (2)(number of hydrogen atoms)(mass of hydrogen atom) + (1)(number of oxygen atoms)(mass of oxygen atoms)

= (2)(2)(1u)+(1)(2)(16u) = 36u

Mass of products = 2((number of hydrogen atoms)(mass of hydrogen atom)+(number of oxygen atoms)(mass of oxygen atom))

= 2((2)(1u)+(1)(16u)) = 36u

Mass of of reactants = Mass of products = 36u

Answer 2

Because atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction, the total mass of products in a reaction must be the same as the total mass of the reactants.