Final answer:
In a balanced chemical equation involving copper and iron, the mole ratio of iron to copper should be included. The equation itself will not include the masses of copper or iron but will provide the necessary information to calculate them, ensuring the law of conservation of mass is obeyed.
Step-by-step explanation:
To analyze and conclude what should be included in a balanced chemical equation involving copper and iron, it's important to recognize that a balanced chemical equation does not directly include the masses of the substances used or formed. Instead, the balanced equation will show the mole ratio of the reactants to the products. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is c) Mole ratio of iron to copper. The mole ratio is derived from the coefficients in the balanced chemical equation that ensure the law of conservation of mass is obeyed. The mass of copper (Cu) formed or the mass of iron (Fe) used can be calculated afterwards if necessary using the stoichiometry from the balanced equation.
For example, in the displacement reaction where iron (Fe) reacts with copper sulfate (CuSO4), the balanced equation would be:
Fe (s) + CuSO4 (aq) → Cu (s) + FeSO4 (aq).
This equation is balanced as it has an equal number of each type of atom on both the reactant and product sides, thus illustrating that the law of conservation of mass is preserved. The mass of reactants equals the mass of the products and can be calculated based on the stoichiometry.