Question

count the atoms! -how many oxygen atoms are on both sides of the chemical equation? 1 2 3 4

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate oxygen atoms on the left - hand side

On the left - hand side, we have \(2O_{2}\). Each \(O_{2}\) molecule has 2 oxygen atoms. So the number of oxygen atoms is \(2\times2 = 4\).

Step2: Calculate oxygen atoms on the right - hand side

On the right - hand side, we have \(CO_{2}+2H_{2}O\). In \(CO_{2}\), there are 2 oxygen atoms. In \(2H_{2}O\), each \(H_{2}O\) molecule has 1 oxygen atom, so \(2H_{2}O\) has \(2\times1 = 2\) oxygen atoms. The total number of oxygen atoms on the right - hand side is \(2 + 2=4\).

Answer:

4 (Since the number of oxygen atoms on both sides of the chemical equation \(CH_{4}+2O_{2}\to CO_{2}+2H_{2}O\) is 4)