Ms. M's students are currently engaged in crafting experiments centered around the utilization of baking soda and vinegar. Within Group 1, they commence by introducing 25 grams of vinegar into a flask and depositing 5 grams of baking soda into a balloon, securing the balloon over the flask's opening, and subsequently merging the baking soda and vinegar. The flask's weight is monitored continuously throughout the experiment, and the accompanying image depicts the experimental setup conducted by Group 1. Group 2 follows a comparable procedure but opts not to employ a balloon. Instead, they transfer an equivalent quantity of baking soda directly into the uncapped flask containing the vinegar. The provided image illustrates the experiment undertaken by Group 2. What would be the anticipated difference between the final mass in Group 2's experiment when compared to that of Group 1's experiment, and what accounts for this outcome?

Question

Ms. M's students are currently engaged in crafting experiments centered around the utilization of baking soda and vinegar. Within Group 1, they commence by introducing 25 grams of vinegar into a flask and depositing 5 grams of baking soda into a balloon, securing the balloon over the flask's opening, and subsequently merging the baking soda and vinegar. The flask's weight is monitored continuously throughout the experiment, and the accompanying image depicts the experimental setup conducted by Group 1. Group 2 follows a comparable procedure but opts not to employ a balloon. Instead, they transfer an equivalent quantity of baking soda directly into the uncapped flask containing the vinegar. The provided image illustrates the experiment undertaken by Group 2. What would be the anticipated difference between the final mass in Group 2's experiment when compared to that of Group 1's experiment, and what accounts for this outcome?
A. The concluding mass in Group 2's experiment is expected to exceed that of Group 1's experiment due to the ingress of gas from the surrounding environment, augmenting the final mass.
B. The ultimate mass in Group 2's experiment is expected to equal the final mass in Group 1's experiment, as mass remains conserved throughout chemical reactions.
C. The concluding mass in Group 2's experiment is anticipated to be lower than that in Group 1's experiment, as gas is permitted to exit the flask, leading to a reduction in the final mass.
D. The concluding mass in Group 2's experiment is projected to surpass the final mass in Group 1's experiment, as mass is invariably augmented during chemical reactions.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The correct answer is **C. The concluding mass in Group 2's experiment is anticipated to be lower than that in Group 1's experiment, as gas is permitted to exit the flask, leading to a reduction in the final mass.** Here's the reasoning behind this outcome: In Group 1, the baking soda and vinegar reaction occurs within a closed system (the balloon prevents gas from escaping), allowing all the produced carbon dioxide gas to remain within the flask. This means that the mass measured at the end of the experiment reflects all the components involved in the reaction, including the gas. In Group 2, the gas produced during the reaction can escape since there is no balloon to contain it. Therefore, once the reaction occurs and carbon dioxide is generated, it escapes into the atmosphere. As a result, the final mass in Group 2 is lower than that measured in Group 1 because the gas that would have contributed to the overall mass is lost. Thus, the anticipated difference in mass is due to the escape of gas in Group 2's setup, which leads to a reduction in the final mass compared to Group 1's setup.