14. Which of the following statements are true according to the law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions? Select all that apply!(3 points)

Responses

The total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products in a chemical reaction.
The total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products in a chemical reaction.

During a chemical reaction, mass is created or destroyed.
During a chemical reaction, mass is created or destroyed.

The number of atoms of each element remains the same before and after the reaction.
The number of atoms of each element remains the same before and after the reaction.

Chemical reactions can change the type of atoms involved, but not their total mass.
Chemical reactions can change the type of atoms involved, but not their total mass.

If a chemical reaction occurs in an open container, some mass may be lost to the surroundings.

1 answer

According to the law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions, the following statements are true:

  1. The total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products in a chemical reaction. (This statement is true and is essentially a restatement of the law of conservation of mass.)

  2. The number of atoms of each element remains the same before and after the reaction. (This is also true, as the law states that atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction, meaning that the total number of each type of atom is conserved.)

The other statements are false:

  • During a chemical reaction, mass is created or destroyed. (False; according to the law of conservation of mass, mass is conserved.)

  • Chemical reactions can change the type of atoms involved, but not their total mass. (False; while reactions rearrange atoms, they do not change their identity.)

  • If a chemical reaction occurs in an open container, some mass may be lost to the surroundings. (False in the context of conservation of mass; while gas may escape, the total mass of reactants equals products if we consider a closed system.)

So, the true responses are the first and third statements.