The reactants and products in a chemical reaction contain the same atoms, but they are rearranged during the reaction. As a result, the atoms end up in different combinations in the products. This makes the products new substances that are chemically different from the reactants.

How are reactants turned into products?

The relationship between reactants and products in a chemical reaction can be represented by a chemical equation that has this general form: Reactants → Products. ... A: Bonds break in the reactants, and new bonds form in the products.

Why must reactants equal products?

The law of conservation of mass states that in a chemical reaction, the total mass of reactants is equal to the total mass of products. ... Because atoms are rearranged in a chemical reaction, there must be the same number of sodium atoms and chlorine atoms in both the reactants and products.