Law of Conservation of Mass

Front

What is the Law of Conservation of Mass?

Back

The Law of Conservation of Mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction; it remains constant.

Front

What does a subscript in a chemical formula indicate?

Back

A subscript indicates the number of atoms of an element in a molecule.

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What does a coefficient in a chemical equation represent?

Back

A coefficient represents the number of molecules or moles of a substance in a chemical reaction.

Front

How do you balance a chemical equation?

Back

To balance a chemical equation, you adjust the coefficients in front of the compounds, not the subscripts.

Front

What is a balanced chemical equation?

Back

A balanced chemical equation has the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.

Front

Why can't you change subscripts when balancing equations?

Back

Changing subscripts alters the identity of the substance, which can change the chemical reaction.

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What is the difference between a reactant and a product?

Back

Reactants are substances that undergo a chemical change, while products are the substances formed as a result of the reaction.

Front

What is an example of a chemical reaction that demonstrates the Law of Conservation of Mass?

Back

The reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water: 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O shows that the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

Front

What happens to the mass of reactants in a closed system during a chemical reaction?

Back

In a closed system, the mass of the reactants remains equal to the mass of the products.

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What is the significance of balancing chemical equations?

Back

Balancing chemical equations is important to accurately represent the conservation of mass and ensure that the reaction obeys the Law of Conservation of Mass.