Why are open systems inappropriate for studying the conservation of mass?
A. the sample may become contaminated
B. heat can escape from or enter the system
C. matter may be lost to or gained from surroundings
D. matter may be created or destroyed within the system
D. matter may be created or destroyed within the system
In open systems, matter can flow in and out of the system, leading to the possibility of matter being created or destroyed within the system. This violates the principle of the conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. This makes open systems inappropriate for studying the conservation of mass as it introduces variables that could skew the results.