Which of the following is the correctly balanced equation for the reaction between zinc and copper(II) sulfate?

• A. 2Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) -> 2ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
• B. Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) -> ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
• C. Zn(s) + 2CuSO4(aq) -> ZnSO4(aq) + 2Cu(s)
• D. Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) -> 2ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the reactants and products in the given chemical reaction. The reactants are zinc (Zn) and copper(II) sulfate (CuSO4), and the products are zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) and copper (Cu).
2. Write the unbalanced chemical equation: Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) -> ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s).
3. Check the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. For the unbalanced equation, there is 1 Zn, 1 Cu, 1 S, and 4 O atoms on both sides.
4. Since the number of atoms for each element is already equal on both sides, the equation is balanced as written: Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) -> ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s).
5. Verify that the balanced equation follows the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. The balanced equation confirms this as the number of each type of atom is the same on both sides.