Balancing a chemical equation means making the number of atoms of each element equal on both sides of the equation. This process follows the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed during a chemical reaction. In every reaction, atoms are only rearranged to form new substances. Because atoms are conserved, the total number of atoms before and after the reaction must remain the same. 

Balancing chemical equations is directly connected to the Law of Conservation of Mass because both explain that matter is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction. It is only rearranged as atoms are reorganized to form new substances. This means that the total mass of the reactants (starting substances) must always be equal to the total mass of the products (substances formed after the reaction), especially in a closed system where no matter can enter or escape. In essence, chemical reactions do not change the total amount of matter—they only change how atoms are grouped together.