Question

Which statement correctly explains why the ashes of burnt paper have less mass than the original paper?

other atoms combine with the paper to produce ash
the ash is created from new atoms that have less mass than the paper
some of the atoms in the paper are destroyed when it burns
some of the atoms in the paper become gases

Answers

GPT-4o mini
The statement that correctly explains why the ashes of burnt paper have less mass than the original paper is: **"some of the atoms in the paper become gases."**

When paper burns, the chemical reaction mainly involves the paper reacting with oxygen in the air. This process produces gases (like carbon dioxide and water vapor) that are released into the atmosphere, leading to a loss of mass in the remaining ashes. The other statements do not accurately describe the process involved in burning paper.

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