Question

Is mass conserved during a physical change involving 50 grams of sugar? Explain your answer using complete sentences and demonstrating how this can be shown.

A: Yes, because mass remains constant in all physical changes.
B: No, because mass can change during physical transformations.
C: Yes, because sugar retains its mass in physical alterations.
D: No, because sugar can lose mass during a physical change.

Answer 1

Mass is conserved in a physical change, such as when 50 grams of sugar undergoes a change like dissolving in water. The Law of Conservation of Mass ensures the mass remains constant, regardless of the state or form the substance takes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is A: Yes, because mass remains constant in all physical changes. During a physical change, like when 50 grams of sugar dissolves in water, undergoes melting, or when sugar is powdered, the mass of the sugar does not change. It is important to differentiate between physical and chemical changes. In a physical change, the chemical structure of the substance is not altered and mass is conserved; the number of atoms and molecules remains the same before and after the change. Dissolving sugar in water is a classic example of a physical change: while the sugar dissolves, it does not transform into a new substance and can be recovered in its original mass by evaporating the water.

The Law of Conservation of Mass states that atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This law also applies to physical changes, meaning that the total mass at the start of a physical change is identical to the mass at the end of the change. Another example illustrating this principle is the physical transformation of water from steam to liquid; despite changing states, the amount of matter (and thus mass) remains constant.