Final answer:
When a match is burned, the red phosphorus turns black due to oxidation and the wood undergoes combustion, converting into gases and ashes. The total mass of matter before and after the combustion remains the same and the energy released during the combustion is conserved.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a match is burned, the red phosphorous on the end seems to turn black because it undergoes a chemical reaction called oxidation. The wood of the match also undergoes combustion, converting into ashes, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. This release of gases and conversion of wood into ashes explain the disappearance of some of the wood. Heat, light, and smoke are given off as a result of the exothermic combustion reaction.
This process does not violate the Law of Conservation of Energy because although the match undergoes a chemical reaction and the wood is converted into gases and ashes, the total mass of matter before and after the combustion remains the same. The energy released during the combustion is a result of the rearrangement of atoms, but the total energy before and after the combustion is conserved.