Chemical equations must be balanced because:
a
the mass of the products is always greater than the mass of the reactants.
b
the mass of the reactants is always greater than the mass of the products.
c
mass can neither be created nor destroyed.
d
mass is determined by a chemical reaction.
c
mass can neither be created nor destroyed.
c) mass can neither be created nor destroyed.
Chemical equations must be balanced because of the law of conservation of mass, which states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. In other words, the total mass of the reactants must be equal to the total mass of the products. Balancing the equation ensures that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation, maintaining the conservation of mass.
The correct answer is c) mass can neither be created nor destroyed.
Chemical equations must be balanced because of the law of conservation of mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. This means that the total mass of the reactants in a chemical equation must be equal to the total mass of the products.
When a chemical reaction occurs, atoms are rearranged to form new compounds, but the total number of atoms remains the same. This is why we need to balance the chemical equation by adjusting the coefficients in front of the chemical formulas.
By balancing the equation, we ensure that the same number and types of atoms are present on both sides of the reaction. This ensures that mass is conserved throughout the reaction.