1)After burning, the mass of the ash is lighter than the mass of the wood.
2)After burning, the mass of the product, magnesium oxide is heavier than the mass of the magnesium ribbon. ( Burns the ribbon)
3) In a chemical reaction, the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.
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So let see, in 3) this is because the atoms reactants and products must be the same. Then why in 2)
the mass of the product is heavier than the mass of the reactants ( ribbon)?
Shouldn’t it be the same?
And according to 3) then the mass of the wood in 1) should also be the same how come it is different? I know the mass of ash is of course lighter than wood, but if you combine all the ash together wouldn’t it be the same? Please explain 1) 2) 3) to me why it is different I don’t get it. Thank you.
Edit: I understand it now my stupid ignorant 14-year-old brain didn’t think of the external factors which caused the mass of the ash to be lighter.
In: Physics
>In a chemical reaction, the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.
That’s always the case (ignoring relativistic effects).
>After burning, the mass of the ash is lighter than the mass of the wood.
But add in the CO2, soot, and water vapour that was produced by the burn and you end up with the same mass as the wood and oxygen that was used.
>After burning, the mass of the product, magnesium oxide is heavier than the mass of the magnesium ribbon.
Oxide being the operative word. You’re adding oxygen. Oxygen has mass.
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