Final answer:
The correct statement about the law of conservation of mass is A) when a physical or a chemical change occurs, matter is not created or destroyed. This law is pivotal in chemistry, ensuring that the total mass in a closed system remains unchanged after any chemical or physical change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that best describes the law of conservation of mass is: A) when a physical or a chemical change occurs, matter is not created or destroyed. This fundamental principle of chemistry asserts that the total mass of a closed system will remain constant, regardless of the processes occurring within it. When charcoal burns in oxygen, for instance, the mass of the resulting carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ash must equal the mass of the original charcoal and oxygen.
During any chemical reaction, atoms are rearranged to form new substances, but no atoms are either created or destroyed. The concept was introduced by Antoine Lavoisier, a French chemist, in 1789 and has since been a cornerstone in the field of chemistry. The law applies to both physical and chemical changes and enables chemists to predict the outcomes of reactions based on the masses of reactants and products.