Final answer:
In a mass balance analysis for the hydrolysis of ethyl acetate, all reactants and products, including ethyl acetate, water, acetic acid, and ethanol must be accounted for to satisfy the law of conservation of mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the hydrolysis of ethyl acetate (CH₃COOC₂H₅) in the presence of water and an acid catalyst, the components that should be considered in a mass balance analysis are ethyl acetate (CH₃COOC₂H₅), water (H₂O), acetic acid (CH₃COOH), and ethanol (C₂H₅OH). Therefore, the correct option is b. CH₃COOC₂H₅, H₂O, CH₃COOH, and C₂H₅OH. In a chemical reaction, you must account for all reactants and products in the mass balance to ensure the law of conservation of mass is satisfied. This law states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. An understanding of the stoichiometry of the reaction is essential to establish the relationships between the amount of reactants used and the amount of products formed.