WHAT SCIENTIFIC TERM OR CONCEPT OUGHT TO BE MORE WIDELY
KNOWN? - THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS
Editor’s Note: In this paper, Saskia Grisaru (‘19) explains the essential concept of The Law of the Conservation of Mass and how this scientific concept plays out in the real world.
The Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass in a closed system can neither be created nor destroyed, is indubitably one of the defining characteristics of our universe. Developed during the 18th century by the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier, this law plays a part in scientific and real world affairs in innumerable ways. While perhaps best known by chemists as the rationale for balancing chemical equations, the Law of Conservation of Mass is applicable to many important processes.
One important process that this law applies to is the existence and sustenance of all life. For instance, when a human eats food, our bodily functions are able to convert that food to nutrients, which are then used by the body for energy, growth, and cell repair. Similarly, when a plant undergoes the process of photosynthesis, it is able to derive energy from the sun, water from the soil, and carbon dioxide gas from the air, and convert these components to sugars. These sugars fuel the plant and allow it survive and grow. Furthermore, during photosynthesis, plants release oxygen into the air—oxygen which then supports animal life. Both the digestive and photosynthetic processes begin with completely different ingredients than those with which they conclude, yet matter is never created nor destroyed; it is simply rearranged to form different products. The Law of Conservation of Mass is also relevant to important issues today.
In a time when, according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal,” this law can be used to explain some of humanity’s crippling effects that exacerbate the state of our planet. Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere, absorbing sunlight and solar radiation that are reflected off of the earth’s surface. Naturally, sunlight and radiation would be able to escape through our atmosphere, but instead these pollutants trap the light and radiation, which causes Earth’s temperatures to rise. So how do we humans contribute to global warming? Well, mainly by emitting carbon dioxide. In the United States, the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy is the largest sources of carbon dioxide emission—about two billion tons annually. The second largest source of carbon pollution lies in our use of transportation, which generates about 1.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year. But how does the Law of Conservation of Mass apply to carbon dioxide emissions? Well, because of this law, we know that when a car running on gasoline is driven, the gasoline cannot simply disappear—instead, some of the matter emitted from the tailpipe is harmful carbon dioxide.
To a greater extent, it is important for people to understand the Law of Conservation of Mass because it has a role in everything we do. Moreover, as in the case of global warming and carbon dioxide, we must keep in mind that there are always consequences for our actions. The Law of Conservation of Mass decrees that mass in an isolated system cannot simply disappear; instead, it may manifest in harmful forms that must be considered. Whether conducting a chemistry experiment in a lab, or driving a car down the highway, we as humans must learn to be mindful of our actions and the inevitable repercussions.
Works Cited:
Climate Change: How do we know? (2017, February 23). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
Donovan, A. L. (2017, March 17). Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier. Retrieved April 1, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antoine-Laurent-Lavoisier
How Plants Acquire Their Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://www.dummies.com/education/science/biology/how-plants-acquire-their-energy/
MacMillan, A. (2016, March 11). Global Warming 101. Retrieved April 2, 2017, from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101
Your Digestive System. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/your-digestive-system#1
One important process that this law applies to is the existence and sustenance of all life. For instance, when a human eats food, our bodily functions are able to convert that food to nutrients, which are then used by the body for energy, growth, and cell repair. Similarly, when a plant undergoes the process of photosynthesis, it is able to derive energy from the sun, water from the soil, and carbon dioxide gas from the air, and convert these components to sugars. These sugars fuel the plant and allow it survive and grow. Furthermore, during photosynthesis, plants release oxygen into the air—oxygen which then supports animal life. Both the digestive and photosynthetic processes begin with completely different ingredients than those with which they conclude, yet matter is never created nor destroyed; it is simply rearranged to form different products. The Law of Conservation of Mass is also relevant to important issues today.
In a time when, according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal,” this law can be used to explain some of humanity’s crippling effects that exacerbate the state of our planet. Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere, absorbing sunlight and solar radiation that are reflected off of the earth’s surface. Naturally, sunlight and radiation would be able to escape through our atmosphere, but instead these pollutants trap the light and radiation, which causes Earth’s temperatures to rise. So how do we humans contribute to global warming? Well, mainly by emitting carbon dioxide. In the United States, the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy is the largest sources of carbon dioxide emission—about two billion tons annually. The second largest source of carbon pollution lies in our use of transportation, which generates about 1.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year. But how does the Law of Conservation of Mass apply to carbon dioxide emissions? Well, because of this law, we know that when a car running on gasoline is driven, the gasoline cannot simply disappear—instead, some of the matter emitted from the tailpipe is harmful carbon dioxide.
To a greater extent, it is important for people to understand the Law of Conservation of Mass because it has a role in everything we do. Moreover, as in the case of global warming and carbon dioxide, we must keep in mind that there are always consequences for our actions. The Law of Conservation of Mass decrees that mass in an isolated system cannot simply disappear; instead, it may manifest in harmful forms that must be considered. Whether conducting a chemistry experiment in a lab, or driving a car down the highway, we as humans must learn to be mindful of our actions and the inevitable repercussions.
Works Cited:
Climate Change: How do we know? (2017, February 23). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
Donovan, A. L. (2017, March 17). Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier. Retrieved April 1, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antoine-Laurent-Lavoisier
How Plants Acquire Their Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://www.dummies.com/education/science/biology/how-plants-acquire-their-energy/
MacMillan, A. (2016, March 11). Global Warming 101. Retrieved April 2, 2017, from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101
Your Digestive System. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/your-digestive-system#1
