Why does the mass stay the same during combustion?

  • Thread starter Thread starter saranya_sarah
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Combustion Internal
Click For Summary
When burning a substance, such as a fuse, the mass decreases if the gases produced are allowed to escape. This is because some of the solid matter is converted into gas, which leaves the system. However, if the combustion occurs in a closed environment where all gases are contained, the total mass remains unchanged. This is due to the principle of conservation of mass established by Antoine Lavoisier, which states that mass is conserved in a closed system, even though the composition of the matter changes during combustion. Understanding this concept clarifies why mass appears to decrease when gases escape but remains constant in a closed system.
saranya_sarah
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Noticed that when u burn something its mass decreased like if u place a fuse on a scale and burn it, its mass decreases. But Antoine Lavoiser determined that if all the particles in the gas collected, like if you burn the fuse inside a closed bottle the mass stays the same...i don't understand this concept n how it works. Please help me and thanks in advance :)
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
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.
 
mfb 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.
My question was just why the mass stayed the same and you answered it...thanks
 
Thread 'How to make Sodium Chlorate by Electrolysis of salt water?'
I have a power supply for electrolysis of salt water brine, variable 3v to 6v up to 30 amps. Cathode is stainless steel, anode is carbon rods. Carbon rod surface area 42" sq. the Stainless steel cathode should be 21" sq. Salt is pure 100% salt dissolved into distilled water. I have been making saturated salt wrong. Today I learn saturated salt is, dissolve pure salt into 150°f water cool to 100°f pour into the 2 gallon brine tank. I find conflicting information about brine tank...
I'm making poor man's nitric acid to refine silver from scrap. I would like to waste as little as possible. I've noticed that about half the acid is destroyed oxidizing the metals, and I'd like to reduce that if possible. One reference mentioned that I lose only one in four in a "dilute solution" instead of half. How dilute must it be to allow the NO2 to disproportionate so that half of it will redissolve and become nitric acid again?