Question

Sammy and Lisa measure the mass of 3 logs. They burn the logs in a campfire, then measure the ashes. They are surprised to find that the mass of the ashes is less than the mass of the logs. How can this be explained?

The mass was compressed into ashes when the fire burned so the mass of the product was less than the mass of the reactants.

The mass was lost because there was a chemical change.

Some of the mass of the logs was turned into smoke and gasses that escaped into the air.

Mass was destroyed in the heat of the campfire.

Answer 1

Explanation: Hope it helps <3

The law of conservation of mass states that, for any closed system, the mass of the system must remain constant.

So, in other words, mass cannot be created nor destroyed.

In a burning log, the initial mass of the wood and the ashes that are left behind after it burns are different, which would seem to violate the law of conservation of mass.