When iron rusts and forms iron oxide, the iron oxide has more mass than the iron. Which statement correctly explains this difference in mass?(1 point)

Question

Responses

The iron atoms in iron oxide have more mass than pure iron.
The iron atoms in iron oxide have more mass than pure iron.

Iron oxide has oxygen atoms, and pure iron does not.
Iron oxide has oxygen atoms, and pure iron does not.

There are more iron atoms in iron oxide than in pure iron.
There are more iron atoms in iron oxide than in pure iron.

The oxygen atoms in iron oxide have more mass than the iron atoms in pure iron.

Answer 1

The correct statement that explains the difference in mass is:

Iron oxide has oxygen atoms, and pure iron does not.

When iron rusts, it reacts with oxygen from the environment to form iron oxide (rust), which includes the mass of both the iron and the oxygen atoms. This additional mass from the oxygen is what causes iron oxide to be heavier than pure iron.