Question

When vinegar was combined with baking soda and sealed in a plastic quart bag, the total mass of the products was 70 g.What was the total mass of the vinegar and baking soda before the reaction took place?

A.0 g
B.35 g
C.70 g
D.140 g

Answer 1

The answer is C) 70.

Because the reaction was sealed in a plastic bag, none of the vinegar or baking soda was able to escape as a gas. The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created or destroyed, therefore the same amount must have been present before the reaction took place, and there was 70g of vinegar and baking soda.

Answer 2

Answer: The total mass of reactants is 70 grams.

Step-by-step explanation:

Law of conservation of mass states that mass can neither be created nor be destroyed but it can only be transformed from one form to another form.

This also means that total mass on the reactant side must be equal to the total mass on the product side.

The chemical equation for the reaction of vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) follows:

`NaHCO_3(s)+CH_3COOH(l)\rightarrow CO_2(g)+H_2O(l)+CH_3COOH(aq.)`

We are given:

Total mass of products = 70 grams

Applying law of conservation of mass, we get:

Total mass of reactants = Total mass of products

Total mass of reactants = 70 g

Hence, the total mass of reactants is 70 grams.