Topic 3 Conservation of mass Flashcards
What is the conservation of mass
No atoms are destroyed and no atoms are created which means there are the same number and types of atoms on both sides of the equation
No mass is lost or gained
When might you see a change in mass
when it is in an unsealed reaction vessel
What does it mean if the mass has increased
Because one of the reactants is a gas found in the air
Before the reaction it is floating in the air and it’s mass can’t be accounted
After the redaction it forms the product and becomes contained in the reaction vessel so the mass increases
What does it mean if the mass decreases
If the vessel isn’t enclosed and one of the products formed is a gas it can escape and therefore the mass decreases