Which statement best explains the relationship between the law of conservation of mass and the process of balancing chemical equations?

• A. Balancing chemical equations ensures that the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products, in accordance with the law of conservation of mass.
• B. Balancing equations is unrelated to the law of conservation of mass and is done solely for aesthetic purposes.
• C. The law of conservation of mass requires that the number of molecules on each side of the equation be the same, regardless of their type.
• D. Balancing chemical equations is only necessary to determine the physical states of substances, not to conserve mass.

Answer: (A)

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, so the total mass of reactants must equal the total mass of products.
2. Recognize that chemical equations represent reactions by showing reactants on the left and products on the right, with their respective quantities.
3. Balancing a chemical equation involves adjusting the coefficients (the numbers in front of molecules) so that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
4. By ensuring the same number of atoms for each element on both sides, balancing equations reflects that no atoms are lost or gained, which aligns with the law of conservation of mass.
5. Therefore, balancing chemical equations is essential to accurately represent the conservation of mass during chemical reactions, not just for appearance or physical states.