According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, what happens to atoms during a chemical reaction?

• A. Atoms are neither created nor destroyed; they are rearranged.
• B. Atoms disappear and reappear randomly.
• C. Atoms are created to form new substances.
• D. Atoms are destroyed during the reaction.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
2. Recognize that atoms are the fundamental units of matter and that during a chemical reaction, these atoms are involved in breaking and forming bonds.
3. Apply the principle that since mass is conserved, the number and type of atoms before and after the reaction must be the same.
4. Conclude that atoms are neither created nor destroyed; instead, they are rearranged to form new substances.
5. Therefore, the correct interpretation is that atoms are rearranged during a chemical reaction, maintaining the total mass.