Question
Vinegar and baking soda are combined to form a chemical reaction. A scientist finds that the total mass after the compounds react, is less than the sum of the masses before they react. Which 2 statements explain this observation?
-Some of the mass has escaped as a gas
-Some of the mass was destroyed during the reaction
-Law of conservation of mass. Mass cannot be created nor destroyed
-There is no way the mass can be different
-Some of the mass has escaped as a gas
-Some of the mass was destroyed during the reaction
-Law of conservation of mass. Mass cannot be created nor destroyed
-There is no way the mass can be different
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The two statements that explain the observation that the total mass after the reaction is less than the sum of the masses before the reaction are:
1. **Some of the mass has escaped as a gas** - When vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) react, they produce carbon dioxide gas, which can escape into the atmosphere, leading to a decrease in observed mass.
2. **Law of conservation of mass. Mass cannot be created nor destroyed** - This law states that in a closed system, the total mass remains constant, but in this case, since some gas has escaped, the measurement of mass before and after the reaction appears to show a loss, even though no mass has actually been destroyed; it has simply changed form and left the system.
The other statements ("Some of the mass was destroyed during the reaction" and "There is no way the mass can be different") do not accurately explain the phenomenon.
1. **Some of the mass has escaped as a gas** - When vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) react, they produce carbon dioxide gas, which can escape into the atmosphere, leading to a decrease in observed mass.
2. **Law of conservation of mass. Mass cannot be created nor destroyed** - This law states that in a closed system, the total mass remains constant, but in this case, since some gas has escaped, the measurement of mass before and after the reaction appears to show a loss, even though no mass has actually been destroyed; it has simply changed form and left the system.
The other statements ("Some of the mass was destroyed during the reaction" and "There is no way the mass can be different") do not accurately explain the phenomenon.