Final answer:
The products of the reaction 6H₂O + 6CO₂ → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ are C₆H₁₂O₆ and 6O₂, representing the process of photosynthesis, which is option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the chemical reaction 6H₂O + 6CO₂ → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂, the products are C₆H₁₂O₆ (glucose) and 6O₂ (oxygen gas). This equation represents photosynthesis, a process by which plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, using sunlight as energy.
This reaction is crucial for life on Earth as it is the foundation of the food chain, and it also contributes to the atmospheric oxygen we breathe. Additionally, balancing chemical equations like this one requires an understanding of stoichiometry and conservation of mass, where the number of atoms of each element must be the same on both sides of the equation.
Thus, the correct answer to the question 'In the following chemical reaction, what are the products?' is option a, C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.