Final answer:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between copper(I) oxide (Cu₂O) and carbon (C) is Cu₂O + C → 2Cu + CO₂. Each element's atoms are balanced and this reflects the stoichiometry of the reaction where two copper atoms are produced along with one carbon dioxide molecule for each molecule of copper(I) oxide and atom of carbon that react.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between copper(I) oxide (Cu₂O) and carbon (C) to produce copper (Cu) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) is:
Cu₂O + C → 2Cu + CO₂
This equation indicates that one molecule of copper(I) oxide reacts with one atom of carbon to produce two atoms of copper and one molecule of carbon dioxide. Note that we achieve this balance by ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both the reactant and product sides of the equation. The coefficients in front of Cu and CO₂ are adjusted to balance the equation, where the coefficient 2 in front of Cu reflects the stoichiometry of this reaction.
Regarding the provided reference to oxidation and reduction half-reactions, they explain electron transfer in redox reactions. They are part of the explanation but are not the direct answer to the student's question. When balancing chemical equations, it is essential to consider both the conservation of mass (atoms) and the conservation of charge.