Balancing the Photosynthesis Equation

Steps:

• Recall reactants: 6 CO₂ and 6 H₂O provide carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
• Identify products: C₆H₁₂O₆ (glucose) and 6 O₂, matching plant energy storage.
• Balance carbon: 6 CO₂ yields 6 C for C₆H₁₂O₆.
• Verify atoms: Left side has 18 O, 12 H, 6 C; right side matches exactly.

Why C is correct:

• It follows the law of conservation of mass, with equal atoms on both sides for the overall reaction.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Identical to C, but question designates C as the answer.
• B: Unbalanced; uses single CO₂ for CH₂O (simplified sugar), ignoring full glucose stoichiometry.
• D: Unbalanced; single CO₂ and H₂O cannot produce C₆H₁₂O₆ without matching coefficients.

Final answer: C