Which of the following is true for all chemical reactions according to the Law of Conservation of Mass?

• A. Energy is always absorbed during a chemical 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.
• D. The total number of atoms decreases during the reaction.

Answer: (C)

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 during a chemical reaction, atoms are rearranged but the total number of atoms remains the same.
3. Apply this principle to the mass of substances involved: the total mass of reactants before the reaction must equal the total mass of products after the reaction.
4. Note that energy changes (absorbed or released) do not affect the total mass, so statements about energy absorption or mass increase are not universally true.
5. Conclude that the correct statement is: the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products, consistent with the Law of Conservation of Mass.