Final answer:
Yes, the law of conservation of mass applies to physical changes. The mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products. To test this for melting ice and distillation of water, measure the mass before and after the change.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, the law of conservation of mass applies to physical changes. According to this law, mass is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical or physical change, it is conserved. This means that the total mass of the reactants before a physical change is equal to the total mass of the products after the change.
To test this for melting ice, you could measure the mass of the ice before and after it melts. If the law of conservation of mass holds true, the mass of the melted ice should be the same as the mass of the ice before melting.
Similarly, for the distillation of water, you could measure the mass of the water before and after distillation. If the law of conservation of mass is applicable, the mass of the distilled water should be the same as the mass of the initial water sample.
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