What is the law of conservation of mass?

The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a closed system through chemical reactions. Instead, mass is transformed from one form to another during these reactions. This means that the total mass of the reactants before the reaction will equal the total mass of the products after the reaction, regardless of the processes that take place in between.

This principle is fundamental to chemistry and provides a foundation for understanding stoichiometry in reactions. It highlights the idea that although substances might undergo chemical changes, the atoms that compose them are rearranged rather than lost or gained. This helps in balancing chemical equations, as the number of atoms of each element remains the same on both sides of the equations.

Understanding this law is crucial because it emphasizes the consistency of matter and the importance of tracking all components in a reaction, making it clear that all chemical interactions adhere to this conservation principle.