Question

On what basis is a chemical equation balanced?

Answer 1

A chemical equation is balanced based on the law of conservation of mass; it states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This means that the total mass of the reactants must equal the total mass of the products. If the number of atoms of various elements differs on the reactant and product sides, it means they are either destroyed or created, which violates the law of conservation of mass.