Chemical equations must be balanced to satisfy the
A) law of definite proportions
B) law of multiple proportions
C) law of conservation of mass
D) principle of Avogadro
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is C) law of conservation of mass.
Explanation:
Chemical equations must be balanced to satisfy the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. Instead, the mass of the reactants must be equal to the mass of the products. This principle is fundamental in chemistry and is why we balance chemical equations.
When a chemical reaction occurs, the atoms of the reactants rearrange to form new products, but the total number of atoms on both sides of the equation must remain the same. This is because no atom is lost or gained during the reaction; they are simply rearranged into different molecules or compounds. Balancing a chemical equation ensures that the number of atoms of each element is conserved.
For example, in the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water:
[ 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O ]
The equation is balanced because there are 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation, fulfilling the law of conservation of mass.
Other options:
- A) Law of definite proportions: This law states that a chemical compound always contains the same proportion of elements by mass, but it does not directly relate to the need for balancing chemical equations.
- B) Law of multiple proportions: This law applies when two elements combine to form more than one compound. The ratio of the masses of one element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element is always a small whole number. It does not directly require the balancing of chemical equations either.
- D) Principle of Avogadro: Avogadro’s law deals with the relationship between the volume of a gas and the number of particles, but it does not require the balancing of chemical equations.
Thus, balancing equations is a direct consequence of the law of conservation of mass.