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John Dalton, an English chemist, proposed the atomic theory in the early 19th century. His theory included the following main points: 1. All matter is composed of small, indivisible particles called atoms. 2. Atoms of a given element are identical in size, mass, and chemical properties. 3. Atoms of different elements have different sizes, masses, and chemical properties. 4. Atoms combine in simple whole-number ratios to form compounds. 5. Atoms can neither be created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction; they only rearrange to form new compounds.

The law of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed during a chemical reaction. In other words, the total mass of the reactants will be equal to the total mass of the products in any chemical reaction.

Dalton's atomic theory and the conservation of mass are related because both concepts emphasize the idea that atoms are not created or destroyed during a chemical reaction. In Dalton's theory, the underlying principle is that atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter, and they only rearrange themselves during chemical reactions to form new compounds without changing their total number. The conservation of mass reinforces this idea by stating that the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products, meaning that no atoms are created or destroyed during the reaction. In conclusion, the connection between Dalton's theory of the atom and the conservation of mass lies in the fundamental concept that atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction, and only rearrange themselves to produce new compounds under the rules of the atomic theory.