Final answer:
OPTION C.
The law of conservation of mass follows the idea that matter is composed of atoms which are neither created nor destroyed in chemical reactions, but are rearranged. The mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.
Step-by-step explanation:
The law of conservation of mass follows from the concept that matter is composed of atoms. When a chemical reaction occurs, atoms are rearranged to form new substances, but no atoms are created or destroyed in the process. Hence, the correct answer is c. matter is composed of atoms.
The law of conservation of mass implies that the mass of a closed system will remain constant over time. The total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products in a chemical reaction, and the number of atoms of each element remains the same throughout the reaction, only their arrangement changes. This conservation reflects the principle that atoms are indivisible in chemical reactions and cannot be created or destroyed.
Furthermore, the law of definite proportions, which is closely related, states that a given compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements by mass. Therefore, during chemical changes, atoms are neither created nor destroyed, but are simply rearranged, which supports the law of conservation of mass.