Philosophy Major Seeking Physics Answers

AI Thread Summary
Breaking a piece of wood results in the sum of the masses of the two pieces being nearly equal to the original mass, adhering to the conservation of mass principle. However, the process of breaking involves energy transfer, which can slightly alter the mass due to the energy added or removed. In nuclear fission, the products have less mass than the original atom, as mass is converted to energy, illustrating a fundamental difference between atomic and macroscopic objects. The discussion highlights that while mass can change during these processes, total energy and mass remain conserved. Ultimately, both chemical and nuclear reactions involve complex interactions that affect mass and energy dynamics.
  • #51


MayMonth said:
Please forgive me for being so ignorant but I hope you guys would be willing to answer this (stupid) question of mine. Breaking of chemical bonds was mentioned here, but is any chemical bond broken when you break a piece of wood? It's still 'wood' before and after, not like it has been changed to some other compound or element. So I still don't quite understand how the final mass will exceed the initial. Please enlighten me on this.

Thanks!

The wood is held together by bonds between the molecules. They aren't as strong as say the bond between a Hydrogen atom and an Oxygen atom in Water, but breaking anything still requires breaking of these bonds.
 
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  • #52


if u are considering each and every molecule of the wood then yes...the mass will be same...wherther it is in air or wherever...the mass will remain constant...its only in chemical reactions that mass discrepancy come up becoz of mass converting into energy and vice versa...but in any physical change like breaking into pieces etc...the mass will remain unchanged...
 
  • #53


ASD16 said:
if u are considering each and every molecule of the wood then yes...the mass will be same...wherther it is in air or wherever...the mass will remain constant...its only in chemical reactions that mass discrepancy come up becoz of mass converting into energy and vice versa...but in any physical change like breaking into pieces etc...the mass will remain unchanged...

I don't think so. You are breaking bonds, which requires energy, so the mass will increase a minuscule amount.
 

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