Question

Why must chemical equations be balanced?

O to make the chemical reaction work as planned
O to represent conservation of mass
Oto represent conservation of energy
O to show that sometimes the amounts of atoms vary

Answer 1

Chemical equations must be balanced to represent the conservation of mass. The total number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of the equation, ensuring that the reaction obeys the law of conservation of mass.

Step-by-step explanation:

Chemical equations must be balanced to represent the conservation of mass. This means that the total number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of the equation. Balancing the equation ensures that the reaction obeys the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.

For example, consider the combustion of methane:

CH4(g) + 2O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)

In this balanced equation, there are 4 carbon (C) atoms, 8 hydrogen (H) atoms, and 6 oxygen (O) atoms on both sides of the equation, demonstrating the conservation of mass.

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