Final answer:
The student asked to predict products and balance four chemical reactions. The balanced equations with products are provided, each confirming that the reactants and products have an equal number of atoms for each element, adhering to the law of conservation of mass. This shows how to ensure a chemical equation is balanced.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question revolves around predicting the products of chemical reactions and balancing the equations. Here are the balanced equations along with the predicted products:
- a. CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O (This equation is already balanced as given.)
- b. 2H2O2 → 2H2O + O2 (This is an example of a decomposition reaction and is also balanced.)
- c. C6H12O6 → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 (This equation represents the fermentation of glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide, and it is balanced.)
- d. 2KClO3 → 2KCl + 3O2 (This reaction represents the decomposition of potassium chlorate into potassium chloride and oxygen, and the equation is balanced.)
To determine if the equations are balanced, one must ensure that there are equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the reaction arrow. A balanced equation will conform to the law of conservation of mass.