Question

What must you start with in order to perform a correct stoichiometry problem?
(A) A balanced equation.
(B) Amount of reactants.
(C) Amount of products
(D) Mole ratio.
(E) Molar mass.

Answer 1

Hint: In order to perform the stoichiometry problem, we will first see the meaning of stoichiometry. And then we will see what are the concepts and necessities that are required before performing these types of calculations. Stoichiometry is basically a relation between the quantity of reactants and that of products in a chemical reaction.

Complete answer:
Stoichiometry is basically defined as the relation between the quantity of reactants and that of products in a chemical reaction. To understand more, we can say that to know the amounts of reactants and products in the reaction. Amounts here refer to the number of moles of each reactant that are being consumed in the chemical reaction and number of moles of products which are forming in the reaction.
So, we can say that stoichiometry deals with the number of moles (amount) of reactants and products.
Therefore, in order to know the amounts of both reactants and products in a chemical reaction for stoichiometric calculations, we first need to write a balanced chemical equation for the chemical reaction.

Hence, the correct option is (A) A balanced equation.

Note:
We first need to write the balanced chemical equation for any given reaction to perform the stoichiometric calculations because all the other options can be calculated or derived from the balanced chemical equation. From the balanced equation, we can find the molar ratio, amount of reactants as well as products.