The law of conservation of mass implies that the number of atoms of each element remains the same before and after a chemical reaction.
What does the law of conservation of mass imply about the number of atoms of each element in a chemical reaction?
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The law of conservation of mass implies that the number of atoms of each element remains constant in a chemical reaction. In a closed system, where no mass is gained or lost, the total mass before the reaction equals the total mass after the reaction. This conservation of mass indicates that the same number and types of atoms present in the reactants must be present in the products, although their arrangement may change. Therefore, the law ensures that atoms are neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction, emphasizing the fundamental principle of the preservation of matter at the atomic level.