Sulfurous acid, $H_2SO_3$, breaks down into water $\left(H_2O\right)$ and sulfur dioxide $\left(SO_2\right)$. If only one molecule of sulfurous acid was involved in a chemical reaction, how many sulfur ($S$) atoms would be in the products?

A1 atom of sulfur
B2 atoms of sulfur
C3 atoms of sulfur
DNo atoms of sulfur would be present.

Question

05-11-2026
Chemistry

Answered

Sulfurous acid, $H_2SO_3$, breaks down into water $\left(H_2O\right)$ and sulfur dioxide $\left(SO_2\right)$. If only one molecule of sulfurous acid was involved in a chemical reaction, how many sulfur ($S$) atoms would be in the products?

A1 atom of sulfur
B2 atoms of sulfur
C3 atoms of sulfur
DNo atoms of sulfur would be present.

Verified Answer :

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GinnyAnswer GinnyAnswer · Answer 1 · 2026-11-05T01:01:17-05:00

The chemical formula $H_2SO_3$ contains exactly 1 sulfur atom.
According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, the number of atoms must remain the same before and after the reaction.
Since the products of the decomposition are water ($H_2O$) and sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$), and sulfur is only present in sulfur dioxide, the number of sulfur atoms remains 1.
Final answer: 1 atom of sulfur.

Explanation

Analyzing the Reaction and Chemical Formula

The chemical formula for sulfurous acid is given as $H_2SO_3$. This molecule consists of 2 hydrogen (H) atoms, 1 sulfur (S) atom, and 3 oxygen (O) atoms. The decomposition of this molecule into water ($H_2O$) and sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) is represented by the chemical equation:
\[H_2SO_3 \rightarrow H_2O + SO_2\]

Applying the Law of Conservation of Mass

According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, the total number of atoms of each element must be conserved during a chemical reaction. This means that the number of atoms of each element in the reactants must equal the number of atoms of that same element in the products. We are starting with one molecule of $H_2SO_3$, which contains exactly 1 sulfur atom. Therefore, the products of the reaction must contain a total of 1 sulfur atom.

Concluding the Number of Sulfur Atoms

In the product side of the equation, sulfur is present only in the sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) molecule. Since there is 1 sulfur atom per molecule of $SO_2$, and the reaction of one molecule of $H_2SO_3$ yields exactly one molecule of $SO_2$, it follows that there is exactly 1 sulfur atom in the products. Thus, the number of sulfur atoms present in the products is 1.

Examples

In the food industry, understanding the decomposition of additives is critical for safety. For instance, when sulfites (which are related to sulfurous acid) are used in food processing, they may break down over time. Chemists calculate these reactions to ensure that the byproduct amounts remain within safe, regulated levels. By applying the Law of Conservation of Mass, food scientists can precisely determine the amount of reactive species, such as sulfur dioxide, produced from a specific amount of the original additive, ensuring that food products remain safe for consumption.