The overall process of photosynthesis has the balanced chemical equation [tex]6 CO_2 + 6 H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6 O_2[/tex].

What does this tell you about the relative amounts of carbon dioxide and water consumed in this process?

A. For every six grams of carbon dioxide consumed, one gram of water is consumed.
B. For every mole of carbon dioxide consumed, one mole of water is consumed.
C. For every gram of carbon dioxide consumed, one gram of water is consumed.
D. For every six moles of carbon dioxide consumed, one mole of water is consumed.



Answer :

To determine the relative amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) consumed in the process of photosynthesis, we can analyze the given balanced chemical equation:

[tex]\[ 6 CO_2 + 6 H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6 O_2 \][/tex]

In this equation, the stoichiometric coefficients represent the molar ratio of the reactants and products participating in the reaction. Here's a step-by-step approach to understanding these ratios:

1. Identify the Stoichiometric Coefficients:
- The coefficient in front of CO₂ is 6, which means 6 moles of CO₂ are required.
- The coefficient in front of H₂O is also 6, which means 6 moles of H₂O are required.

2. Determine the Molar Ratio:
- The molar ratio of CO₂ to H₂O can be observed directly from the coefficients.
- This ratio is 6:6, which simplifies to 1:1. This indicates that for every 1 mole of CO₂ consumed, 1 mole of H₂O is also consumed.

3. Interpret the Ratio:
- This 1:1 molar ratio tells us that both reactants are consumed in equal amounts on a molar basis. Thus, if you use up 1 mole of CO₂, you will also need to use up 1 mole of H₂O for the reaction.

Therefore, the conclusion is:

[tex]\[ \text{For every mole of carbon dioxide consumed, one mole of water is consumed.} \][/tex]

Thus, the correct answer is:

B) For every mole of carbon dioxide consumed, one mole of water is consumed.

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