In a balanced chemical equation, how are the coefficients used to determine the number of atoms of each element present in the reactants and products?

• A. The coefficients are ignored when calculating the number of atoms; only subscripts are used.
• B. The coefficients represent the number of atoms of each element directly, regardless of the molecular formula.
• C. The coefficients are only used to balance charge, not to calculate the number of atoms.
• D. The coefficients indicate the number of molecules or formula units, which can be multiplied by the number of atoms of each element in a molecule to find the total number of atoms.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in a balanced chemical equation, the coefficients placed before chemical formulas represent the number of molecules or formula units of each substance involved in the reaction.
2. Recognize that the subscripts in a chemical formula indicate the number of atoms of each element within a single molecule or formula unit of that substance.
3. To find the total number of atoms of a particular element in the reactants or products, multiply the coefficient of the compound by the subscript of that element in the chemical formula.
4. For example, if the coefficient is \( a \) and the subscript for element X in the formula is \( b \), then the total number of atoms of element X is \( a \times b \).
5. Apply this process to each element in all reactants and products to determine the total number of atoms present on each side of the equation, ensuring the equation is balanced in terms of atoms.