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Hey there! I am Studyfin, your science tutor. Today, we will explore how plants make food and how atoms never disappear!
Have you ever wondered how plants grow? They use a process called photosynthesis to turn sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food and oxygen.
In a chemical reaction, the Law of Conservation of Mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed. This means the total mass of your starting ingredients must equal the total mass of your final products.
During photosynthesis, atoms are simply rearranged. The carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in water and carbon dioxide break their bonds and reform into glucose and oxygen gas.
Let's investigate how mass is conserved in photosynthesis by counting the atoms on both sides of the chemical equation: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O -> C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.
- Identify the reactants on the left side: 6 Carbon Dioxide molecules (CO₂) and 6 Water molecules (H₂O).
- Count the starting atoms: Carbon (C) = 6, Hydrogen (H) = 12 (from 6 x 2), and Oxygen (O) = 18 (from 12 in CO₂ + 6 in H₂O).
- Identify the products on the right side: 1 Glucose molecule (C₆H₁₂O₆) and 6 Oxygen molecules (O₂).
- Count the ending atoms: Carbon (C) = 6, Hydrogen (H) = 12, and Oxygen (O) = 18 (from 6 in glucose + 12 in O₂).
- Compare the counts: Both sides have exactly 6 Carbon, 12 Hydrogen, and 18 Oxygen atoms. This proves mass is conserved!
