Question

Pure magnesium metal is often found as ribbons and can easily burn in the presence of oxygen. When 4.51 g of magnesium ribbon burns with 6.92 g of oxygen, a bright, white light and a white, powdery product are formed. Enter the balanced chemical equation for this reaction. Be sure to include all physical states.

Answer 1

Explanation:

A balanced chemical equation is the one that has same number of atoms present on both reactant and product side.

The balanced chemical reaction equation will be as follows.

           $2Mg(s) + O_{2}(g) \rightarrow 2MgO(s)$

According to law of conservation of mass, mass can neither be created nor it can be destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form to another.

Hence, total mass of reactant species in the above equation is 112.6 g. Hence, total mass of products is also 112.6 g.

Also, in this reaction Mg is present in solid state, $O_{2}$ is present in gaseous state, and MgO is present in solid state.