Question

this passage describes a chemical reaction. read the passage. then, answer the question below. did you know that glow sticks give off light because of a chemical reaction? a glow stick contains two compounds: hydrogen peroxide (h₂o₂) and diphenyl oxalate (c₁₄h₁₀o₄), which are separated by a barrier inside the glow stick. when you bend a glow stick, the barrier breaks and the substances mix, forming phenol (c₆h₆o) and carbon dioxide (co₂). the energy released by this reaction makes the glow stick give off colored light. in the chemical reaction described in the passage, which of the following are reactants? select all that apply. carbon dioxide (co₂) phenol (c₆h₆o) diphenyl oxalate (c₁₄h₁₀o₄) hydrogen peroxide (h₂o₂)

Explanation:

To determine reactants, we recall that reactants are the substances that undergo a chemical reaction to form products. From the passage: "A glow stick contains two compounds: hydrogen peroxide ($\ce{H_2O_2}$) and diphenyl oxalate ($\ce{C_{14}H_{10}O_4}$), which are separated by a barrier... When you bend a glow stick, the barrier breaks and the substances mix, forming phenol ($\ce{C_6H_6O}$) and carbon dioxide ($\ce{CO_2}$)." So hydrogen peroxide and diphenyl oxalate are the reactants (they start the reaction), while phenol and carbon dioxide are products (formed from the reaction).

Answer:

C. diphenyl oxalate ($\ce{C_{14}H_{10}O_4}$)
D. hydrogen peroxide ($\ce{H_2O_2}$)