Which law states that mass is conserved during chemical and physical changes?

Study for the Honors Chemistry Exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Enhance your understanding with detailed explanations and hints. Prepare to excel in your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which law states that mass is conserved during chemical and physical changes?

Explanation:
Mass is conserved in all chemical and physical changes. This means the total mass before a reaction or change equals the total mass after, because atoms are just rearranged and not created or destroyed under ordinary conditions. This idea is captured by the Law of Conservation of Mass, which is why balancing chemical equations requires equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides. The other statements describe different ideas: fixed composition of a compound (definite proportions), whole-number ratios between elements in different compounds (multiple proportions), and a unit of mass for atoms (atomic mass unit).

Mass is conserved in all chemical and physical changes. This means the total mass before a reaction or change equals the total mass after, because atoms are just rearranged and not created or destroyed under ordinary conditions. This idea is captured by the Law of Conservation of Mass, which is why balancing chemical equations requires equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides. The other statements describe different ideas: fixed composition of a compound (definite proportions), whole-number ratios between elements in different compounds (multiple proportions), and a unit of mass for atoms (atomic mass unit).

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