Yes, atoms are conserved in chemical reactions. This is known as the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that the total mass of the reactants before a chemical reaction must equal the total mass of the products after the reaction.

Here's why:

* Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter. They cannot be created or destroyed in chemical reactions.

* Chemical reactions only involve the rearrangement of atoms. Bonds between atoms break and form, but the atoms themselves remain unchanged.

Example:

Consider the reaction of hydrogen gas (H₂) with oxygen gas (O₂) to form water (H₂O):

2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O

* Reactants: 4 hydrogen atoms (2 x 2) and 2 oxygen atoms

* Products: 4 hydrogen atoms (2 x 2) and 2 oxygen atoms

You can see that the number of each type of atom is the same on both sides of the equation, demonstrating the conservation of atoms.

Important Note: While atoms are conserved, molecules are not. The reactants and products have different molecular structures, but the total number of each atom remains the same.