Please explain how the following two combustion (burning) reactions appear to disobey the law of conservation of Mass: _______A When a diamond is burned, the mass that remains is zero. B. When a piece of wood is burned, the leftover ashes weight less than the wood. Upon further investigation, it is noted that CO2 is vented off from both reactions. With this additional information, state how you can prove the diamond is made of pure carbon ans yet the wood is not.

Respuesta :

Release of carbon dioxide, water, and light energy during combustion of wood and diamond.

Explanation:

  • According to the law of conservation of mass, the mass can neither be created nor be destroyed.
  • When a piece of wood is burned, the leftover ashes weight is less than the wood which is due to the release of [tex]CO_{2}[/tex], water, and light energy which proves that the mass after the reaction is less.
  • Burning of allotropic forms of carbon releases carbon dioxide,water,light and heat energy.
  • C(s) + O(g) = [tex]CO_{2}[/tex] +[tex]H_{2}O[/tex] + light energy.
  • Diamond is strongly covalent bonded and can be combustible at very high temperatures.
  • When a diamond is burned the mass remains zero as diamond is formed by pure carbon atom and gives off carbon dioxide and water.
  • Therefore, wood, as well as the diamond, disobey the law of conservation of mass.