The Law of Conservation of Mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction; rather, the total mass of the reactants must equal the total mass of the products. In the reaction between magnesium hydroxide and nitric acid, the total number of atoms of each element before the reaction (2 magnesium, 4 oxygen, 2 hydrogen, and 4 nitrogen) is equal to the total number of atoms after the reaction (2 magnesium, 4 oxygen, 4 hydrogen, and 4 nitrogen). This demonstrates that the mass remains constant throughout the process, as all the atoms are simply rearranged to form new substances without any loss or gain in mass.
When magnesium hydroxide reacts with nitric acid, it produces magnesium nitrate and water: Mg(OH)₂ + 2HNO₃ ⟶ Mg(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O. In 2 or more sentences, explain how this reaction demonstrates the Law of Conservation of Mass. Be sure to also describe this law in your explanation
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