To determine which part of the chemical equation is incorrect, we need to ensure that the equation adheres to the law of conservation of mass. This law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, so the number of atoms of each element on the reactants side must be equal to the number of atoms on the products side.
Let’s break down the equation:
### Given Equation:
[tex]\[ 2 C_4H_{10} + 10 O_2 \rightarrow 8 CO_2 + 10 H_2O \][/tex]
### Step-by-Step Analysis:
1. Identify the number of atoms of each element on the reactants side:
- Carbon (C):
[tex]\[ 2 \times 4 = 8 \text{ C atoms} \][/tex]
- Hydrogen (H):
[tex]\[ 2 \times 10 = 20 \text{ H atoms} \][/tex]
- Oxygen (O):
[tex]\[ 10 \times 2 = 20 \text{ O atoms} \][/tex]
2. Identify the number of atoms of each element on the products side:
- Carbon (C):
[tex]\[ 8 \times 1 = 8 \text{ C atoms} \][/tex]
- Hydrogen (H):
[tex]\[ 10 \times 2 = 20 \text{ H atoms} \][/tex]
- Oxygen (O):
[tex]\[ \text{From } CO_2: 8 \times 2 = 16 \text{ O atoms} \][/tex]
[tex]\[ \text{From } H_2O: 10 \times 1 = 10 \text{ O atoms} \][/tex]
[tex]\[ 16 + 10 = 26 \text{ O atoms} \][/tex]
### Compare the number of atoms on both sides:
- Carbon (C): 8 atoms on both sides - Balanced
- Hydrogen (H): 20 atoms on both sides - Balanced
- Oxygen (O): 20 atoms (reactants) vs. 26 atoms (products) - Not Balanced
### Conclusion:
The number of oxygen atoms is not balanced. We need 26 oxygen atoms on the reactants side to balance the equation. Since each [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] molecule contains 2 oxygen atoms, we need:
[tex]\[ \dfrac{26}{2} = 13 \][/tex]
So, the correct coefficient for [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] is 13, not 10.
### Corrected Equation:
[tex]\[ 2 C_4H_{10} + 13 O_2 \rightarrow 8 CO_2 + 10 H_2O \][/tex]
The part of the chemical equation that was incorrect is the coefficient for [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex]. The correct chemical equation should reflect 13 as the coefficient for [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex].
