Final answer:
A picture representing a chemical reaction at the atomic level like the reaction between NH3 and O2 to form NO and H2O involves using ball-and-stick models to depict atoms and bonds, followed by balancing the equation to ensure the conservation of atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has chosen to draw a picture representing the reaction at the atomic level to understand chemical reactions better.
To illustrate, let's consider the reaction between ammonia (NH3) and oxygen (O2) to form nitric oxide (NO) and water (H2O), which is a typical example from the topic of chemical equilibrium.
Drawing a picture involves using models such as ball-and-stick representations to depict the atoms and the bonds between them before and after the reaction.
Firstly, we draw the reactants: NH3 will be shown as one nitrogen atom (typically in blue) connected to three hydrogen atoms (in white), and O2 as two oxygen atoms (in red) connected with a double bond.
Next, we depict the products: NO as one nitrogen atom connected to one oxygen atom and water as one oxygen atom connected to two hydrogen atoms.
After creating these models, we balance the equation to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the reaction.
The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is 4NH3 (g) + 5O2 (g) → 4NO (g) + 6H2O (g).
To complete our representation, in compliance with learning objectives such as 7.C.4.1, we would show the transition states and indicate the absorption or emission of energy, if relevant, in the form of photons (not shown in this example).
This approach helps visualize the rearrangement of atoms during the reaction, enhancing understanding of chemical kinetics and thermodynamics principles.