Video Transcript
In an experiment, a sample of a
solid is placed inside a sealed container and then weighed on a mass balance. The container is then heated until
all the solid has changed into a liquid. The container is then immediately
placed back onto the mass balance. What will the mass balance
read?
When a substance transforms from
one state to another, some of the physical properties change, while others stay the
same. Some of the physical properties
that may change include volume and density. One of the physical properties that
stays the same during a phase change is the mass. So, when a solid melts and turns
into a liquid, the mass of the substance will not change.
The mass of the solid in the sealed
container before heating was 26 grams. So, after the solid has changed
into a liquid, the mass of the liquid in the sealed container should be the same as
the mass of the solid in the sealed container. Therefore, the reading on the mass
balance will be 26 grams.
