Question

Rachel and Billy are conducting an experiment. The mass of their candle before burning was 7.0 grams. After burning the candle for six minutes, the mass went down to 5.5 grams. What can the students determine about the results of their experiment?

A The law of conservation of mass cannot be applied over short periods of time.
B The law of conservation of mass does not apply to chemical changes like burning.
C The law of conservation of mass was broken because the mass of the candle decreased.
D The law of conservation of mass was not broken because the missing mass was released as smoke.

Answer 1

The students can determine that the law of conservation of mass was not broken because the missing mass was released as smoke.

Step-by-step explanation:

The students can determine that the law of conservation of mass was not broken because the missing mass was released as smoke.

The law of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.

In this case, when the candle burned, the mass of the candle decreased because the missing mass was released into the air as smoke.

The total mass of the candle before burning is equal to the total mass of the candle after burning, considering both the remaining wax and the released smoke.