Question

Assertion (A): A balanced chemical equation has an equal number of atoms of different elements in the reactants and products.

Reason (R): The formula of an element or compound can never be changed to balance an unbalanced chemical equation.

Options

• Both A and R are true and R is correct explanation of the assertion.

• Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of the assertion.

• A is true but R is false.

• A is false but R is true.

Answer 1

Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of the assertion.

Explanation:

Assertion (A) is true because a balanced chemical equation strictly follows the Law of Conservation of Mass, requiring equal numbers of atoms for each element on both sides. Reason (R) is also a true statement, as altering a chemical formula changes the identity of the substance itself, which is scientifically invalid. However, (R) is not the correct explanation for (A), as the balanced nature of an equation is fundamentally explained by the conservation of mass rather than the inability to modify chemical formulas.