Science Common Sense
1512 - What is the purpose of Lavoisier's experiment in verifying the law of conservation of mass.
The purpose of Lavoisier's experiment was to show that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only changed in form. He did this by:
- Weighing a container with a burning substance (like wood or metal).
- Allowing the substance to burn completely in a sealed container.
- Weighing the container again after the substance has burned.
He found that the weight remained the same before, during, and after the burning, proving the law of conservation of mass. This means that the total mass of materials in a closed system stays the same, even if they undergo a reaction or change.