Question

If a reaction is balanced, does it support the law of conservation of matter

Answer 1

Yes, a balanced chemical reaction supports the law of conservation of matter. The law of conservation of matter states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; it can only be transformed from one form to another. In a balanced reaction, the number of atoms of each element on the reactant side is equal to the number on the product side. This equality of the number of atoms reflects that the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products, which is consistent with the law of conservation of matter. Thus, balancing chemical equations is a way of demonstrating this fundamental principle in chemistry.