explain why chemical equations have to be balanced.

Brief Explanations:

Chemical equations must be balanced to obey the law of conservation of mass. This law states that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. Balancing ensures the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation, representing that the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products.

Answer:

Chemical equations are balanced to follow the law of conservation of mass, ensuring an equal number of each atom type on both sides of the equation.