Which statement correctly describes the behavior of mass during a chemical reaction according to the Law of Conservation of Mass?

• A. Mass is lost during every chemical reaction.
• B. The total mass of the products is always greater than the mass of the reactants.
• C. Mass can be created or destroyed during a chemical reaction.
• D. The total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.

Answer: (D)

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 during a chemical reaction, atoms are rearranged but the total number of atoms remains the same.
3. Recognize that because atoms are neither lost nor gained, the total mass of the reactants must be equal to the total mass of the products.
4. Evaluate the given statements by comparing them to the Law of Conservation of Mass: mass is not lost, not created, and the total mass of products is not greater than reactants.
5. Conclude that the correct description is: the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.