Mass is Always Conserved
Learning Objective
I can apply the law of conservation of mass to chemical reactions.
Key Concepts
The law of conservation of matter states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.
When water boils, the steam has the same mass as the liquid water because the water molecules only speed up and move away from each other.
When a copper pipe rusts, it gains mass because oxygen atoms from the atmosphere bond to the copper atoms in the pipe.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 7 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. State the law of conservation of mass in your own words.
2. If 10 grams of water are boiled in a closed container, what will be the mass of the steam produced?
3. Explain how the rusting of an iron pipe demonstrates the law of conservation of mass, even though the rusty pipe weighs more than the original pipe.
...and 4 more questions
Educational Video
The Law of Conservation of Matter
Professor Dave Explains