Let's analyze the two given intermediate steps to find the best way to treat the oxygen molecules:
1. [tex]\( N(g) + O_2(g) \rightarrow 2 NO(g) \)[/tex]
2. [tex]\( 2 NO(g) + O(g) \rightarrow 2 NO(g) \)[/tex]
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Identify Common Species and Their Roles:
- In the first reaction, [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] is a reactant.
- In the second reaction, [tex]\( O \)[/tex] is involved, but it’s not in the same molecular form as [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex].
2. Combine the Reactions:
- The intermediate [tex]\( NO \)[/tex] appears in both reactions. Since it is produced in the first reaction and consumed in the second reaction, we can consider the net effect on [tex]\( NO \)[/tex].
3. Focus on Oxygen Species:
- In the first reaction, one [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] molecule reacts.
- The second reaction does not involve [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] directly (it involves atomic oxygen, [tex]\( O \)[/tex]).
4. Combining and Simplifying the Steps:
- When we look at both reactions combined, the molecule [tex]\( NO \)[/tex] produced in the first step and consumed in the second step will cancel out.
- The [tex]\( O \)[/tex] in the second reaction does not directly cancel with [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] but can still be considered in a broader look at the net reactions to see if such details balance out.
5. Overall Consideration:
- When searching for the net reaction and the effect on oxygen species, we notice that the molecular forms of oxygen are not directly interchangeable (from [tex]\( O_2 \)[/tex] to [tex]\( O \)[/tex]). However, on a molecular level, we would essentially consider the impacts and balances over the group of reactions considered.
Given the information and the type of changes across the reactants and products, the best description of what Jason should do with the oxygen molecules is:
Cancel them out because there is one in each equation.
This assertion considers the balancing and simplification within the overall scope of commonly involved molecular interactions, making the analysis simpler and practical for the general balanced reaction consideration.
