Which statement best explains how chemical reactions demonstrate the law of conservation of mass?

• A. Energy is converted into mass, causing the mass to increase after the reaction.
• B. The mass of the products is always greater than the mass of the reactants.
• C. The total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products in a chemical reaction.
• D. Atoms are destroyed during chemical reactions, leading to a decrease in mass.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the law of conservation of mass: it states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
2. Recognize that during a chemical reaction, atoms are rearranged but not lost or gained, so the total number of atoms remains constant.
3. Apply this concept to the mass of substances involved: since atoms have mass and their total number stays the same, the total mass of reactants must equal the total mass of products.
4. Evaluate the given statements by comparing them to the law: statements suggesting mass increase, decrease, or atom destruction contradict the law of conservation of mass.
5. Conclude that the statement 'The total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products in a chemical reaction' best explains how chemical reactions demonstrate the law of conservation of mass.