A chemical equation is balanced when
A)the total number of ions is the same in reactants and products.
B)the sum of the coefficients of the reactants is equal to the sum of the coefficients of the products.
C)the number of atoms of each element is the same in reactants and products.
D)the charge on each atom is the same in reactants and products.
E)the total number of molecules is the same in reactants and products.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A balanced chemical equation must have the same number of atoms of each element in the reactants and products. This ensures that the law of conservation of mass is being followed, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. The other options are incorrect or do not fully capture the idea of balancing a chemical equation.

A Chemical Equation Is Balanced When