February 26

Conservation of Mass Lab: Baking Soda & Vinegar Reaction ⚖️🧪

📅 Lab Completed: February 26
📅 Post-Lab Due: February 27

In this experiment, we explored the Law of Conservation of Mass by observing a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar in a closed system.

🔬 What We Did:

1️⃣ Pre-Lab Discussion

• Reviewed the difference between reactants and products in a chemical reaction.

• Discussed the difference between open and closed systems and how they affect mass conservation.

2️⃣ Conducted the Experiment

• Measured the initial mass of a flask containing vinegar and a balloon filled with baking soda.

• Released the baking soda into the vinegar, causing a chemical reaction that produced carbon dioxide gas.

• Observed bubbling, fizzing, and inflation of the balloon, indicating a chemical change.

• Measured the final mass of the system after the reaction.

3️⃣ Analyzed Results

• Mass before the reaction = Mass after the reaction ✅

• The reaction produced gas, but because it was trapped in the balloon, no mass was lost.

• Balanced the chemical equation to reinforce that atoms are rearranged, not created or destroyed.

🌍 Why This Matters:

This lab demonstrated that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction—it just changes form! This principle is important in understanding chemical reactions, environmental science, and real-world applications like space travel and engineering.

✅ Reminder: Your post-lab questions are due tomorrow, February 27—make sure your data is recorded and your analysis is complete! 🔬✨