Question

When balancing a chemical equation, which of the following statements is false? a. Subscripts in the reactants must be conserved in the products. b. Coefficients are used to balance the atoms on both sides. c. The law of conservation of matter must be followed. d. Phases are often shown for each compound but are not critical to balancing an equation.

Short answer

The false statement is: (a) "Subscripts in the reactants must be conserved in the products." The number of atoms of each element must be conserved on both sides of the equation, but not necessarily the subscripts.

Step-by-step solution

Statement a

"Subscripts in the reactants must be conserved in the products." Subscripts represent the number of atoms of each element in the chemical formula, and their values cannot be changed during the balancing process. However, the statement says that we must conserve the subscripts in the reactants, which is incorrect. The number of atoms of each element must be conserved on both sides, but not necessarily the subscripts. This statement is false.

Statement b

"Coefficients are used to balance the atoms on both sides." This statement is true. We use coefficients in front of the chemical formulas to balance the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation while keeping the same chemical formulas.

Statement c

"The law of conservation of matter must be followed." This statement is also true. The law of conservation of matter states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. Therefore, when balancing a chemical equation, the number of atoms of each element must be equal on both sides, following the law of conservation of matter.

Statement d

"Phases are often shown for each compound but are not critical to balancing an equation." This statement is true as well. Phases (e.g., solid, liquid, gas, and aqueous) can be indicated for each compound in a chemical equation, but they are not critical to the process of balancing an equation. They provide useful context, but balancing can be done without specifying the phases. Now that we have analyzed each statement, we can conclude that only statement a is false. All the other statements (b, c, and d) are true for balancing a chemical equation.

Key concepts

Law of Conservation of Matter

The Law of Conservation of Matter is a fundamental principle that guides the process of balancing chemical equations. It posits that in any given system closed to all transfers of matter and energy, the mass of the system must remain constant over time, as system mass cannot change quantity if it is not added or removed. The atoms of an element therefore cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, only rearranged.

When applying this principle to chemical equations, each element must have the same number of atoms on the reactant side (left) as on the product side (right). This means if you start with two atoms of hydrogen on the reactant side, for example, you must also end up with two atoms of hydrogen on the product side. Balancing equations is essentially a way to honor this law; ensuring that for every atom consumed in a reaction, an identical atom is produced.

Chemical Equation Coefficients

To balance a chemical equation according to the law of conservation of matter, we use chemical equation coefficients. These coefficients are placed in front of the chemical formulas to indicate the proportional amount of molecules involved in the reaction.

For instance in a reaction \( 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O \) the coefficient \(2\) in front of \(H_2O\) shows that two molecules of water are produced for every two molecules of hydrogen reacted with one molecule of oxygen. Adjusting these coefficients allows us to balance the number of atoms of each element on both sides without changing the substance's identity defined by its chemical formula. During the balancing process, it’s important to start with the most complex molecule and adjust the coefficients systematically until all elements are balanced.

Chemical Formula Subscripts

Within a chemical formula, the subscripts indicate the number of atoms of the element immediately before the subscript in the molecule. These are part of the compound's identity; for instance, \(H_2O\) represents one molecule of water, with two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

It's critical to note that subscripts should never be altered to balance a chemical equation. Doing so would change the compound itself. For example, changing \(H_2O\) to \(H_2O_2\) swaps water for hydrogen peroxide, which are chemically distinct substances. If an equation requires more atoms of a particular element, you adjust the coefficients, not the subscripts—this is a common misunderstanding and where the initial exercise becomes instructive in highlighting this difference.