Question

The polyatomic carbonate ion (CO32−) is present in both the products and the reactants of the chemical equation shown below.

Na2CO3 + SrCl2 → SrCO3 + 2NaCl
Which statement best describes the mass of carbonate (CO32−) in the products and the reactants of the equation?
A. The mass in the products is two times as great as the mass in the reactants.
B. The mass in the reactants is two times as great as the mass in the products.
C. The mass in the products is equal to the mass in the reactants.
D. The mass in the reactants is less than the mass in the products.

Answer 1

In the chemical reaction Na2CO3 + SrCl2 → SrCO3 + 2NaCl, the mass of carbonate ions remains unchanged from reactants to products, following the law of conservation of mass.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question concerns the law of conservation of mass which states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. Applying this law to the reaction Na2CO3 + SrCl2 → SrCO3 + 2NaCl, we can determine the mass of the carbonate ion (CO32−) in both the reactants and the products. Since there is one mole of carbonate in the reactants and one mole in the products, the mass must remain constant throughout the reaction.

Therefore, the statement that best describes the mass of carbonate in the products and the reactants is: C. The mass in the products is equal to the mass in the reactants.