Q: If a chemical reaction such as photosynthesis begins with 6 atoms of carbon, how many atoms of carbon will be in the product?

Flexi Says: The chemical equation for photosynthesis is:
6CO₂ + 6H₂O + Light Energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
This chemical equation shows that the number of atoms in the reactants is the same as the number of atoms in the products. For example, there are six carbon molecules on both sides of the equation. The reactants include six carbon dioxide molecules, each with one carbon atom (6CO₂) while the products contain one glucose molecule with six carbon atoms C₆H₁₂O₆. Hence, matter is conserved during photosynthesis as it is during all chemical reactions.