LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS
The Law of Conservation of Mass, established by Antoine Lavoisier in the late 18th century, asserts that mass can neither be created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This principle revolutionized chemistry and laid the foundation for future scientific discoveries. Lavoisier conducted experiments that demonstrated that the total mass of the reactants in a chemical reaction is equal to the total mass of the products.
The section also explores historical perspectives, citing ancient philosophers such as Maharishi Kanad and Democritus, who theorized about the divisibility of matter. Their abstract concepts paved the way for Lavoisier's empirical findings. By conducting controlled experiments and precise measurements, Lavoisier and his contemporaries differentiated between elements and compounds, which were crucial for the advancement of chemical sciences.
Moreover, this section emphasizes that understanding the conservation of mass is essential for comprehending how substances transform in chemical reactions, serving as a critical pillar for the study of stoichiometry and chemical equations.
