In chemistry, what does the law of conservation of mass imply about a chemical equation?

The law of conservation of mass states that in a closed system, mass cannot be created or destroyed in chemical reactions. This foundational principle implies that the total mass of the reactants must equal the total mass of the products in a chemical equation. This means that when a chemical reaction takes place, no matter how the substances rearrange, the overall mass remains constant. Therefore, the total mass before the reaction occurs is exactly equal to the total mass after the reaction has taken place. This understanding is crucial for balancing chemical equations, as it ensures that the same amount of matter is accounted for on both sides of the equation, reflecting the conservation principle.