According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, are the number of atoms before and after a chemical reaction the same? Why?

• A. Yes, because atoms are always rearranged to form new elements.
• B. Yes, because atoms are neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction.
• C. No, because some atoms disappear as products are formed.
• D. No, because atoms can be converted into energy during a chemical reaction.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
2. Understand that atoms are the fundamental units of matter and during a chemical reaction, they are rearranged but not created or destroyed.
3. Recognize that the number of each type of atom must be the same before and after the reaction to satisfy this law.
4. Note that atoms combine in different ways to form new substances, but the total count of atoms remains constant.
5. Conclude that the correct reasoning is: Yes, because atoms are neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction.