A fundamental concept in science is that mass is always conserved. Mass is a measure of how much matter (how many atoms) make up an object. Mass cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change form.
Materials: paper, lighter or matches with adult help
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Mass conservation tells us that nothing can be created or destroyed. Instead, the atoms of mass are rearranged in a reaction which results in something a bit different than what we started out with…but the sum of the mass-energy is still the same.
In the example of something burning, let’s think about a wood fire. There is mass in the wood and also energy in the form of chemical energy, which is potential energy prior to being ignited. Once it’s set on fire, a chemical reaction – combustion – begins to take place and the energy is converted into kinetic energy. There can be a considerable amount of kinetic energy (heat and light) as the mass of the wood is converted.
The combustion process requires oxygen in order to burn and gives off carbon dioxide, water vapor, heat and light. However, although the wood is burning, nothing is really created or destroyed. The wood’s atoms are all rearranged and recombined and changed into different forms.
I hope this helps!
How is mass (once it is energy) not burned? once it is consumed, the energy is no longer there, so how is it not destroyed mass?
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