Question

acetic acid ($ch_3cooh$), the primary component of vinegar, has a variety of industrial uses. it is produced along with water ($h_2o$) when methanol ($ch_3oh$) reacts with carbon dioxide ($co_2$) and hydrogen gas ($h_2$). this chemical reaction is represented by the model below.determine the number of each type of atom in the reactants and products.| | h | c | o || ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || number of atoms in reactants | | | 3 || number of atoms in products | | | 3 |

Explanation:

Step1: Identify reactant molecules

Reactants: $\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}$, $\text{CH}_3\text{OH}$, $\text{CO}_2$, $\text{H}_2$

Step2: Count H atoms in reactants

$\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}$ has 4 H, $\text{CH}_3\text{OH}$ has 4 H, $\text{CO}_2$ has 0 H, $\text{H}_2$ has 2 H.
Total H: $4 + 4 + 0 + 2 = 10$

Step3: Count C atoms in reactants

$\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}$ has 2 C, $\text{CH}_3\text{OH}$ has 1 C, $\text{CO}_2$ has 1 C, $\text{H}_2$ has 0 C.
Total C: $2 + 1 + 1 + 0 = 4$

Step4: Identify product molecules

Products: $\text{CH}_3\text{COOCH}_3$, $\text{H}_2\text{O}$

Step5: Count H atoms in products

$\text{CH}_3\text{COOCH}_3$ has 8 H, $\text{H}_2\text{O}$ has 2 H.
Total H: $8 + 2 = 10$

Step6: Count C atoms in products

$\text{CH}_3\text{COOCH}_3$ has 4 C, $\text{H}_2\text{O}$ has 0 C.
Total C: $4 + 0 = 4$

Answer:

	Number of atoms in reactants	Number of atoms in products
C	4	4
O	3	3