What must be the same on the reactant and product sides of a balanced chemical equation?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: Number of atoms of each element
In a balanced chemical equation, the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides because of the law of conservation of mass. For example, in \(2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O\), both sides contain 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms. The total number of molecules need not be the same: here there are 3 molecules on the left and 2 on the right.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
Number of atoms of each element
Why is this the correct answer?
In a balanced chemical equation, the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides because of the law of conservation of mass. For example, in \(2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O\), both sides contain 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms. The total number of molecules need not be the same: here there are 3 molecules on the left and 2 on the right.
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 10 Science question. Chapter: Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour. Topic: Chemical Reactions and Equations.