Conservation of Mass Chemistry Example 4

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

Example 4

easy
If 12 g of magnesium reacts with oxygen to form 20 g of magnesium oxide in a closed container, how many grams of oxygen reacted?

Solution

  1. 1
    By conservation of mass, mass of reactants equals mass of products.
  2. 2
    So oxygen mass = 20 g - 12 g = 8 g.

Answer

8 g of oxygen.
In a closed system, mass is conserved during a chemical reaction. The product mass must equal the total mass of all reactants that entered the reaction.

About Conservation of Mass

A fundamental law stating that in any chemical reaction, the total mass of all reactants exactly equals the total mass of all products, because atoms.

Learn more about Conservation of Mass →

More Conservation of Mass Examples

Example 1 easy

If [formula] g of hydrogen reacts with [formula] g of oxygen to form water, what is the total mass o

Example 2 medium

In a sealed container, [formula] g of calcium carbonate decomposes: [formula]. If [formula] g of CaO

Example 3 easy

A student burns [formula] g of magnesium in air and obtains [formula] g of magnesium oxide. How much

← All Conservation of Mass Examples Conservation of Mass Concept