Question

Which of the following laboratory procedures best illustrates the law of conservation of mass? (Assume the product of the reaction includes the mass of any unused reactants.)

a. Reacting 12 g of C with 32 g of O₂ to form 44 g of CO₂
b. Weighing 100 g of Cu powder and 100 g of Fe filings
c. Heating 100 g of CaCO₃ to produce 56 g of CaO
d. Dissolving 10 g of NaCl in 100 g of water

Answer 1

The reaction of 12 g of carbon with 32 g of oxygen to form 44 g of carbon dioxide exemplifies the law of conservation of mass because the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.

Step-by-step explanation:

The laboratory procedure that best illustrates the law of conservation of mass is reacting 12 g of C with 32 g of O₂ to form 44 g of CO₂. This example demonstrates that the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products, thus complying with the law of conservation of mass. Here's how it works:

• Mass of reactant C: 12 g
• Mass of reactant O₂: 32 g
• Total mass of reactants: 12 g + 32 g = 44 g
• Mass of product CO₂: 44 g

Since the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the product (44 g), the reaction agrees with the law of conservation of mass, confirming that mass is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction.