Final answer:
In chemical reactions, the law of conservation of matter states that matter is neither created nor destroyed. This means that the total mass of the products must equal the total mass of the reactants.
Step-by-step explanation:
In chemical reactions, the law of conservation of matter states that matter is neither created nor destroyed. This means that the total mass of the products must equal the total mass of the reactants. The same atoms are present before and after the reaction, but they may be rearranged to form new substances. For example, if you burn a piece of wood, the wood and oxygen react to form carbon dioxide and water. The total mass of the carbon dioxide and water will be the same as the total mass of the wood and oxygen.