Final answer:
The correct balanced equation for photosynthesis produces 6 moles of oxygen, so the answer is D. 6 moles of oxygen.
Step-by-step explanation:
When balancing the photosynthesis equation CO₂ + H₂O + (energy) → C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂, one needs to ensure that there are an equal number of each type of atom on both sides of the reaction. In this case, you want to find out how many moles of oxygen are produced when the equation is balanced.
For the photosynthesis reaction to be balanced, the correct equation would be 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + (energy) → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂. This means there would be 6 moles of oxygen produced for every one mole of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆).
Therefore, the correct answer is D. 6 moles of oxygen. It is important to remember that balanced chemical equations must be balanced in terms of molar amounts of reactants and products, not just individual molecules.