Question

Liquid benzene burns in the atmosphere. If a cold object is placed directly over the benzene, water will condense on the object and a deposit of soot (carbon) will also form on the object. The chemical equation for this reaction is of the form x1C6H6 + x2O2 → x3C + x4H2O Determine values of x1, x2, x3, and x4 to balance the equation

Answer 1

Answer: The value of $x_1,x_2,x3\text{ and }x_4$ are 2, 3, 12 and 6 respectively.

Explanation:

Law of conservation of mass states that mass can neither be created nor be destroyed but it can only be transformed from one form to another form. This also means that total number of individual atoms on reactant side must be equal to the total number of individual atoms on the product side.  

A balanced chemical equation always follow this law.

For the given chemical reaction, the balanced equation follows:

$2C_6H_6+3O_2\rightarrow 12C+6H_2O$

By Stoichiometry of the reaction:

2 moles of benzene reacts with 3 mole of oxygen gas to produce 12 moles of carbon and 6 moles of water

From the above reaction:

$x_1=2\\x_2=3\\x_3=12\\x_4=6$

Hence, the value of $x_1,x_2,x3\text{ and }x_4$ are 2, 3, 12 and 6 respectively.