The mass of a substance remains constant during combustion when all products are contained within a closed system, as demonstrated by Antoine Lavoisier's experiments. When a material, such as a fuse, is burned in an open environment, some of its mass is converted into gas and escapes, resulting in a decrease in measured mass. However, if the combustion occurs in a closed container, the total mass, including gases, remains unchanged, confirming the law of conservation of mass.
PREREQUISITESStudents of chemistry, educators explaining combustion concepts, and anyone interested in the principles of mass conservation in chemical reactions.
My question was just why the mass stayed the same and you answered it...thanksmfb said:Some fraction of the initial solid matter gets converted to gas*. If you let the gas escape, the remaining mass is lower than the initial mass. If you keep all gas in the system, you see that the overall mass stayed the same.
I don't understand the problem.
*it also changes its composition, that is the point of combustion, but it is not relevant here.