Which statement best explains whymas is not conserved in a nuclear change?

Question

Some of the matter is converted to energy
Some of the products have less mass than the reactants
Some of the atoms are lost in the reaction
Some of the reactants are not used

Answer 1

The statement that best explains why mass is not conserved in a nuclear change is: "Some of the matter is converted to energy."

In nuclear reactions, a small amount of mass can be converted into energy according to Einstein's equation \(E=mc^2\). This conversion of mass to energy means that the total mass before and after the reaction is not the same, leading to the conclusion that mass is not conserved in the same way it is in chemical reactions.