Using a physical change, what type of evidence would support the Law of Conservation of Matter?
The mass before the change occurred is less than the mass after the change.
The mass before the change is greater than the mass after the change.
The mass before the change occurred is the same as the mass after the change.
The mass before the change is the same as the mass after the change.
If you burn a log and weigh the ashes, the mass of the ashes is less than the log mass was.
Oh dear!
However, measure the mass of the resulting carbon dioxide gas and the smoke and add that to the mass of the ashes.
The sum of the mass of the ashes and the smoke and the CO2 will be MORE than the log mass.
Oh dear again !
but calculate the mass of the O2 that came from the air in the CO2 and subtract that from the CO2 mass.
Now it should work and the mass after should be the same as the mass before :)
( I sure hope that log was dry. Any water boiled off as steam will also need to be considered :)
Thank you for the additional information! Indeed, when considering all of the components involved in the burning of the log, including the resulting carbon dioxide gas, smoke, and the oxygen from the air, accounting for any water boiled off as steam, the total mass after the physical change should be the same as the mass before the change. This supports the Law of Conservation of Matter, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed or rearranged.
The correct answer is: The mass before the change occurred is the same as the mass after the change.
To support the Law of Conservation of Matter, we need to observe that the total amount of matter remains constant during a physical change. This means that the mass before and after the change should be the same.
To determine the mass before and after a physical change, you would need a reliable method of measuring mass. A common tool for measuring mass is a balance scale. Here's how you can use a balance scale to test the Law of Conservation of Matter:
1. Begin by measuring the initial mass of the object or system before any changes occur. Place the object on one side of the balance scale and measure its mass using grams or any other appropriate unit.
2. Then, proceed with the physical change, which could involve processes like cutting, dissolving, melting, or evaporation.
3. After the change, measure the final mass of the object or system using the same method as before, making sure to use the same units.
4. Compare the initial and final masses. If they are equal or very close, it supports the Law of Conservation of Matter. This would suggest that matter is neither created nor destroyed during a physical change.
5. However, if the mass before the change is less than the mass after the change, or vice versa, it would contradict the Law of Conservation of Matter. This would imply that matter has been created or destroyed, which is not consistent with the law.
In summary, to support the Law of Conservation of Matter, you would need to observe that the mass before and after a physical change remains the same and conduct measurements using a reliable tool like a balance scale.