Final answer:
The Law of Conservation of Mass explains how the chemical equation for cellular respiration supports the idea that as matter flows between systems, elements are recombined because matter is rearranged into new forms without being created or destroyed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical equation C6H12O6 + O2 → Thermal Energy + H2O + CO2 summarizes what happens during cellular respiration. This equation supports the idea that as matter flows between systems, elements are recombined in different ways through The Law of Conservation of Mass. The equation demonstrates that glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2) undergo a chemical reaction to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), signifying that matter is neither created nor destroyed but is simply rearranged into new forms. Given this transformation, the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from glucose and oxygen molecules are conserved and recombined to form carbon dioxide and water while releasing energy.