The Law of Conservation of Mass

Problem:

In a chemical reaction, is the mass of the products equal to the mass of the
reactants?

Hypothesis: I think the mass of the reactants will be equal to the mass of the products
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Materials:
Erlenmeyer flask
Small test tube
Rubber stopper
Balance
Three pairs of solutions:
Copper (II) sulphate (CuSO4) and Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
Sodium sulphide (Na2S) and Zinc nitrate (ZnNO3)
Iron (III) chloride (FeCl3) and Potassium hydroxide (KOH)

Procedure:

Name:_Kaden Wille____

1.

Put on your safety glasses.

2.

Carry out the reactions one at a time. For each pair of

solutions, pour about 10 mL of one solution into the flask.
Half fill a small test tube with the other solution. Describe
the reactants in your observations table.

3.

Carefully, so that the two solutions do not mix, slide the

small test tube into the flask. The test tube should be
placed so that it rests diagonally against the flask as
shown in figure 1.

4.

Place a stopper in the Erlenmeyer flask, to ensure no

materials may enter or exit the flask.

5.

Measure and record the mass of the flask and contents.

6.

Carefully tip the flask to allow the two solutions to mix.

Swirl the flask carefully so that you do not break the small
test tube. Keep swirling to allow the reaction to take place
(you will know the reaction has taken place when the
solutions change colour).

7.

When the reaction has taken place, measure and record

the mass of the flask and contents.

8.

To clean up: pour the contents of the flask into the

chemical waste container. Wash the flask and test tube.

9.

Repeat the above procedure

with each pair of solutions.

Name:_Kaden Wille____

Observations:
Names of Reactants Description of
Reactants
1

Copper (II) sulphate

Blue liquid

Sodium hydroxide

Clear solution

Sodium sulphide

Orange solution

Zinc nitrate

White to clear
solution

Iron (III) chloride

Yellowish solution

Potassium hydroxide

Clear solution

Mass of
Reactants
(g)
180 g

Description of
Reaction and
Products
Red solution

Mass of
Products
(g)
180g

169g

Lime green
solution

169g

210g

Grey solution, gas

is being produced

210g

Analysis:
1. For each of the reactions, explain how you know that a chemical change has taken place.
I knew it was a chemical change because the color of the solution changed once they
were mixed together

2. Compare the mass of the starting substances (reactants) to the new substances
(products).
The reactants and the products weighed the same

Name: Kaden Wille______

3. Using your own words, state the Law of Conservation of Mass.

Mass of reactants = mass of products

4. Solution A has a mass of 70 g. Solution B has a mass of 35 g. When they are mixed, a
chemical reaction occurs in which a gas is produced. If the mass of the final mixture is 90
g, what mass of gas was produced?
The mass of the gas was 15g because the mass of the reactants is the same as the mass
as the products
70 g + 35 g = 105 g
105 g 90 g = 15 g

5. Give an example of a process you notice or use each day that obeys the Law of
Conservation of Mass. Explain how this process works.
Camp fires follow the conservation of mass. The wood and the fuel (reactants) should weigh
the same as the smoke and ashes left (products)

Name: Kaden Wille______

Name: Kaden Wille______