Does mass change in Chemical Reactions

Mass change in chemical reaction

Activity 1 Iron gains mass when it burns

Apparatus & Materials

• Steel Wool
• Spirit Lamp
• Match Box
• Tweezers

Construction

1. Make two balls of steel wool of almost same sizes.
2. Put the iron balls in the dishes and balance them.
3. Take one steel wool ball from the balance.
4. Ignite the spirit lamp on a paper.
5. Burn the steel wool ball well for 3-4 minutes.
6. Return the burn steel wool ball and its fragments to the dish of the balance.
7. Replace the balance on the fulcrum and observe the movement.

Result:

The mass of steel wool increases when it burns.

Activity 2 Paper loses mass when it burns

Apparatus & Materials

• Self-made weighing Balance
• Spirit Lamp
• Paper 2
• Match Box

Construction

1. Take two sheets of paper and make two balls of them.
2. Put the paper balls in the dishes and balance them.
3. Burn the paper ball at one side of the balance and observe the movement.
4. The mass of paper ball decreases when it burns.

Scientific Reason

Two steel wool balls ignite one ball

The mass of the burnt steel wool increases because iron changes into iron oxide.

Two paper balls ignite one ball

The mass of the burnt paper decreases because carbon in paper changes into carbon dioxide and diffuses in the air.

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See Also:

• Flame reaction, Chemistry Experiment
• Let’s make the alum crystal, Chemistry Experiment
• Elements, Compounds and Mixtures, Chemistry Experiment