Final answer:
The reaction CH4 + O2 = CO2 + H2O exemplifies the law of conservation of mass because the number of atoms for each element is the same before and after the reaction. The balanced equation confirms no atoms are lost or gained, just rearranged, hence mass is conserved. Option A) Conservation of mass is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation CH₄ + O₂ = CO₂ + H₂O represents a chemical reaction where methane (CH₄) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O). This reaction adheres to the law of conservation of mass, which means that the mass of reactants before the reaction is equal to the mass of the products after the reaction.
Law of Conservation of Mass
We must balance the chemical equation to reflect the conservation of mass. Initially, we have one carbon atom, four hydrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms as reactants. The balanced equation is CH₄ (g) + 2O₂ (g) = CO₂ (g) + 2H₂O(g), which shows that there are equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation, confirming that mass is conserved. In this context, the correct answer to the question is A) Conservation of mass.
Conservation of Matter in Chemical Reactions
The conservation of matter is essential in chemical reactions. It proves that matter is neither created nor destroyed; it just changes forms. In practical terms, this means we cannot alter the subscripts in a chemical formula to balance an equation, as this would change the actual substances involved.