When 4.2 g of NaHCO3 is added to a solution of acetic acid (CH3COOH) weighing 10.0 g, it is observed that 2.2 g of CO2 is released into the atmosphere. The residue left behind is found to weigh 12.0 g. Show that these observations are in agreement with the law of conservation of mass.
Total mass of the reactants = 10.0 + 4.2 = 14.2 g Total mass of the products = 12.0 + 2.2 = 14.2 g Thus, during the above chemical reactions, the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products, i.e., the matter is neither gained nor lost. This is in keeping with the law of conservation of mass.
