A student combines two liquids in a beaker. She observes that the mass of the combined liquid is less than the mass of the two separate liquids. The student claims that this observation shows that matter is not conserved in chemical reactions. Which statement explains why the student’s claim is incorrect?(1 point)
Responses
The combined liquid was warmer than the two separate liquids.
The reaction did not change the physical properties of the liquids.
The product contained fewer atoms than the reactants.
The reaction produced a gas that escaped the beaker.
The reaction produced a gas that escaped the beaker.
Explanation: Mass is conserved in chemical reactions, but in this case, the loss of mass can be accounted for by the gas escaping the beaker. The disappearance of mass does not mean that matter is not conserved, as the gas that escaped still represents matter.