Final answer:
The law of conservation of matter in physics states that matter does not change in total mass during a chemical or nuclear reaction. This principle helps explain why mass is conserved in various physical processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of the law of conservation of matter in physics states that when matter converts from one type to another or changes form, there is no detectable change in the total amount of matter present. This law is applicable in both chemical and nuclear reactions. In chemical reactions, the energy changes are relatively modest and the mass changes are too small to measure. However, in nuclear reactions, the energy changes are much larger and the mass changes are measurable.
For example, during a chemical reaction, there is no change in the total mass of the reactants and products. If you combine hydrogen and oxygen to form water, the total mass of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms before the reaction is equal to the total mass of the water molecules after the reaction. Similarly, in nuclear reactions such as nuclear fission or fusion, the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products.
The law of conservation of matter is a fundamental principle in physics and helps explain why mass is conserved in various physical processes.