Question

is the author of the article suggesting that unbalanced chemical equations more accurately describe a chemical reaction? which selection from the article best supports your answer?

• yes: \balanced chemical equations typically list the state of matter of each reactant (s for solid, l for liquid, g for gas). so, the balanced equation for the chemical reaction of rust formation becomes: 2 fe(s) + o2(g) → 2 feo(s)\
• no: \this chemical reaction may be expressed by the following unbalanced chemical equation, which may be written either using words or using the chemical symbols for the elements: iron plus oxygen yields iron oxide: fe + o → feo.\
• yes: \an unbalanced chemical equation doesn’t account for conservation of mass, but it’s often a good starting point because it lists the products and reactants and the direction of the chemical reaction.\
• no: \a balanced chemical equation is written so the number of atoms of each type of element are the same for both the products and reactants. coefficients in front of chemical species indicate quantities of reactants, while subscripts within a compound indicate the number of atoms of each element.\

Explanation:

Unbalanced chemical equations show the reactants, products, and reaction direction, even though they do not follow the conservation of mass. They are a common starting point for describing reactions before balancing. The other options either reference balanced equations (which are more precise but not what the question asks about) or misstate the purpose of unbalanced equations.

Answer:

Yes; "An unbalanced chemical equation doesn't account for conservation of matter, but it's often a good starting point because it lists the products and reactants and the direction of the chemical reaction."