Antoine Lavoisier Found That Mass Was Conserved In Chemical Reactions When He Saw That
How did Antoine Lavoisier discover that mass is conserved in chemical reactions?
Answer: Antoine Lavoisier’s discovery that mass is conserved during chemical reactions, known as the Law of Conservation of Mass, was a pivotal moment in chemistry. He conducted a series of meticulous experiments to demonstrate this principle. Here’s how he discovered it:
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Experimenting with Combustion: Lavoisier carefully measured the mass of substances before and after combustion. He noted that the total mass of the system, including the gases involved, remained constant.
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Closed System Approach: To accurately measure mass changes, Lavoisier used a closed system where no matter could enter or leave. This helped him observe that the total mass was neither created nor destroyed.
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Observing Gas Reactions: He realized that gases, previously thought to be weightless, actually have mass. By weighing gases, he accounted for all substances involved in the reaction.
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Balancing Equations: Through quantitative measurements, he established that the mass of reactants equaled the mass of products, solidifying the conservation principle.
Summary: Lavoisier’s meticulous experiments and attention to closed systems allowed him to demonstrate that mass is always conserved in chemical reactions. This foundation helped transform chemistry from a qualitative to a quantitative science.