Conservation of Mass

The Law of Conservation of Mass

In Chemistry, one of the most fundamental principles you'll encounter is the CONSERVATION OF MASS. This means:

1. No atoms are CREATED or DESTROYED in a chemical reaction, which means the mass of the reactants EQUALS the mass of the products.
2. A balanced chemical equation obeys this law, showing the same number and types of atoms on both sides.

Examples:

• For the reaction: 

2Ca + O₂ → 2CaO

There are 2 calcium atoms and 2 oxygen atoms BEFORE and AFTER the reaction, demonstrating that mass is conserved.