What is always true according to the Law of Conservation of Matter?(1 point)
Responses
Atoms can be rearranged during a chemical reaction but cannot be added or taken away.
Atoms can be rearranged during a chemical reaction but cannot be added or taken away.
The total number of molecules before and after a chemical reaction stays the same.
The total number of molecules before and after a chemical reaction stays the same.
New molecules cannot be formed from the reactants during a chemical reaction.
New molecules cannot be formed from the reactants during a chemical reaction.
Atoms created during a chemical reaction must have the same mass as the atoms in the reactants.
Atoms can be rearranged during a chemical reaction but cannot be added or taken away.
The correct answer is:
Atoms can be rearranged during a chemical reaction but cannot be added or taken away.
The total number of molecules before and after a chemical reaction stays the same.
Atoms created during a chemical reaction must have the same mass as the atoms in the reactants.
The correct answer is: The total number of molecules before and after a chemical reaction stays the same. This is always true according to the Law of Conservation of Matter.
In order to come to this conclusion, we need to understand the Law of Conservation of Matter. This law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, only rearranged. This means that the total number of atoms in the reactants must be equal to the total number of atoms in the products.
To determine which of the provided options is true, we can analyze each statement:
1. Atoms can be rearranged during a chemical reaction but cannot be added or taken away. - This statement is partially correct; atoms can be rearranged, but they can also be combined or separated as long as the total number of atoms remains the same.
2. The total number of molecules before and after a chemical reaction stays the same. - This statement is accurate and aligns with the Law of Conservation of Matter. The total number of molecules remains constant throughout a chemical reaction.
3. New molecules cannot be formed from the reactants during a chemical reaction. - This statement is false. New molecules can indeed be formed during a chemical reaction, as long as the total number of atoms remains constant.
4. Atoms created during a chemical reaction must have the same mass as the atoms in the reactants. - This statement is also false. The mass of atoms in the reactants and products can change during a chemical reaction, as long as the total number of atoms remains the same.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is that the total number of molecules before and after a chemical reaction stays the same.