Answer: the number of oxygen atoms that must be present in the products is 6 oxygen atoms.
Explanation:
Chemical equations can be defined as a way of summarizing a chemical reaction in symbols and formulas . In chemical equations, the number of atoms of each element in the reactants must be the same as the number of atoms of each element in the products. This obeys the law of conservation of energy as matter cannot be created nor destroyed.
When the reactants and products of a chemical equation have the same number of atoms of all elements present, we say that an equation is balanced.
A simple example is illustrated below:
The chemical reaction between chlorine atom and hydrogen which are diatomic
H2 + Cl2 -----> HCl
(Reactants)-----> (products)
In describing the equation, there are two atoms of hydrogen reacting with two atoms of chlorine to give one molecule of hydrogen chloride containing one atom each of the reactants. We can fix this by including the coefficient 2 on the product side:
H2 + Cl2 ----> 2HCl
Now there are two hydrogen atoms and two chlorine atoms on both sides of the chemical equation, so it is balanced.
Therefore, the number of oxygen atoms that must be present in the products is 6 oxygen atoms in order for the equation to be balanced.
