Both physics and chemistry make use of various laws that are considered fundamental in the study of any process developed in said sciences. One of these laws is ‘Law of conservation of mass’which allows scientists to predict and explain various natural phenomena.
This law focuses on the behavior of matter, establishing that the total amount of matter that enters a system is equal to the total amount of matter that leaves it. If you want to know more about the law of conservation of mass, this is the ideal place for you, then we will explain more about it, its importance and examples of your employment.
What is the law of conservation of mass about?
The law of conservation of mass states that, in a closed system, the total mass of an object or substance involved in a chemical reaction or physical process does not change. It was made independently by Mikhail Lomonosov in 1748, but later it was rediscovered and formulated, in 1785, by Antoine Lavoisier.
Likewise, the also known as the law of conservation of matter, explains that the amount of matter that enters a system will be equal to the amount of matter that leaves it. This means that no matter what system the mass is involved in, the total mass in the system will remain constant.
Like the law of conservation of energy, this law is based on the idea that matter cannot be created or destroyed, it just changes from one form to another. In other words, it is understood that atoms cannot appear or disappearthey can only rearrange into different molecules or substances.
In this way, it is also known that the law of conservation of mass It is one of the most fundamental of chemistry. This is thanks to the fact that it allows predicting the amount of reactants and products needed in a chemical reaction.
Besides, allows quantifying the amounts of substances involved. On the other hand, it is also usually applied in other branches of science such as physics and engineering, among others.
It should be noted that this law can only be applied in closed systems, which means that it only applies to systems where there is no mass exchange with the external environment. This is because if there is an exchange of mass with its surroundings, the resulting total mass of the system can change.
How important is the law of conservation of mass?
Among the most relevant laws of science is the law of conservation of mass and is of great importance in physics, chemistry and other areas. That is why, below, we will present some of the most essential importance:
- It allows us to predict the amount of substances needed in a chemical reaction. This is considered essential when design and optimize chemical processesin addition to being of paramount importance in the efficient production of chemical products on a large scale.
- Helps to understand how chemical reactions occur; as well as to understand how the different substances involved are related. In chemistry laboratory practices, is a fundamental law for the understanding of basic chemistry and the development of new theories and concepts in chemistry.
- It makes it easy to measure and control the amounts of substances involved in chemical reactions or physical processes. Likewise, we helps ensure the quality and safety of chemicals and to avoid pollution of the environment.
- It is applied in various fields of science, just like physics, to understand the movement and energy of objects, is also applied in engineering for the design and construction of structures and systems. In addition, in biology it is considered essential to understand how metabolic processes and nutrition of organisms work.
Examples of the use of the law of conservation of mass
The law of conservation of mass It has various applications in science., however, its use in daily processes is common. That is why, below, we will mention some examples of its use:
- In the production of metal alloys It is usual to use the law of conservation of mass to obtain more precise compositions.
- This law tends to apply during the combustion and cellular respirationwhere oxygen plays a fundamental role.
- In chemistry, the law of conservation of mass applies in the precise measurement of reactants and products.
- When cooking food This law is often widely used, because it establishes that the total mass of the ingredients must be equal to the total mass of the cooked food and the gases produced.
