Q10
1 markMCQSection A

Identify 'x', 'y' and 'z' in the following reaction: 2KClO3(x)(y)2KCl(x)+O2(z)2\mathrm{KClO}_{3}(x)\xrightarrow{(y)}\mathrm{2KCl}(x)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(z)

Chemical Reactions and Equations
Writing a Chemical Equation

Options

(a)x = gas ; y = reaction condition, z = gas
(b)x = solid ; y = liquid; z = gas
(c)x = number of moles of KClO_3 ; y = reaction condition; z = no. of molecules of oxygen.
(d)x = physical state of KClO_3 and KCl ; y = reaction condition; z = physical state of O_2 .
Official Answer

The correct option is (d).

physical statereaction conditionparenthesesarrow

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark for selecting the correct option (d).

Hint

Recall how physical states like (s), (l), (g) and reaction conditions are represented in a chemical equation.

Analysis & Explanation

In a chemical equation, the physical states of reactants and products are represented in parentheses immediately following their chemical formulae, such as (s)(s) for solid, (l)(l) for liquid, (g)(g) for gas, and (aq)(aq) for aqueous solution. Therefore, xx represents the physical state of KClO3\mathrm{KClO}_3 and KCl\mathrm{KCl} (which is solid, 's'), and zz represents the physical state of O2\mathrm{O}_2 (which is gas, 'g'). Reaction conditions such as temperature, pressure, or catalyst are written above and/or below the reaction arrow, which is represented by yy. Thus, option (d) is correct.


  • Why other options are incorrect:
  • Option (a) is incorrect because xx represents the physical state of KClO3\mathrm{KClO}_3 and KCl\mathrm{KCl}, which are solids, not gases.
  • Option (b) is incorrect because yy represents the reaction condition (such as heat or catalyst), not a physical state like liquid.
  • Option (c) is incorrect because xx and zz represent physical states, not the number of moles or molecules.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Confusing the variables in parentheses with stoichiometric coefficients or number of moles instead of physical states.

Interesting Facts

The decomposition of potassium chlorate (KClO3KClO_3) is a classic laboratory method for preparing oxygen gas, often accelerated by adding manganese dioxide (MnO2MnO_2) as a catalyst (reaction condition yy).

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2020?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2020 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Chemical Reactions and Equations" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Writing a Chemical Equation" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2020 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section A in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2020 paper.