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How did Lavoisier overturn the legend of mass disappearance in flames?
In chemistry and physics, the law of conservation of mass is the principle that the mass of any closed system does not change over time. This means that mass cannot be created or destroyed, although it can be rearranged in space or change form. However, this concept has not been taken seriously in traditional combustion theory in the past. It was not until the end of the 18th century that Lavoisier confirmed this principle through experiments, changing the entire scientific community's understanding of mass.
"Mass does not disappear with combustion, nor does it disappear with the change of matter. This is Lavoisier's core idea."
Lavoisier's experiment is particularly important in illustrating the conservation of mass. He conducted a series of precise experiments and proved that in a chemical reaction, the mass of the reactants is always equal to the mass of the products. This discovery reveals that the traditional concept of the disappearance of mass in flames is wrong, and explains that the transformation of mass during combustion is actually due to the change in the state of matter, rather than the disappearance of mass itself.
"Through technological innovation, Lavoisier was able for the first time to measure changes in the mass of a gas in a closed environment, which changed our fundamental understanding of matter."
In Lavoisier's time, chemical reactions were not a widely recognized field of science. It is generally believed that the combustion process causes the mass of a substance to decrease. Indeed, if a piece of wood becomes lighter after burning, one would naturally conclude that mass has disappeared. To clarify this issue, Lavoisier designed a sealed experiment, which placed the chemical reaction in a closed container and measured the change in mass before and after the reaction.
Through experiments, Lavoisier showed that even in the process of combustion, the mass of the gaseous or solid products produced is always equal to the mass of the raw materials. This conclusion challenged the popular theories of flame matter at the time, especially the famous "phlogiston theory", which held that matter could lose mass due to combustion.
"Lavoisier changed the concept of mass in scientists' minds and brought the study of chemical reactions into a new era."
Lavoisier's work not only proved the law of conservation of mass, but also demonstrated the rigor of scientific experiments. This process involves not only accurate measurements but also the verification of scientific theories. Lavoisier's success became popular and made chemistry a rigorous science rather than the alchemy of the past.
With his discovery, the scientific community gained a new understanding of the concept of material change. Lavoisier's measurements showed that mass remained constant regardless of the chemical changes that took place. This not only established the concept of conservation of mass, but also paved the way for the later development of the periodic table and molecular structure theory.
"The establishment of the principle of conservation of mass was at a critical turning point in the transition from alchemy to modern science."
Over time, the scientific community gradually accepted Lavoisier's theory and formally incorporated the principle of conservation of mass into textbooks. This change promoted subsequent scientific developments, especially in fields such as chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Although the principle of conservation of mass has also been challenged in modern physics, especially in the framework of relativity and quantum mechanics, Lavoisier's contributions have always provided a foundation for later scientists. This principle is not just a mathematical balance, but also the basis for understanding natural phenomena.
Lavoisier's experiment not only overturned the traditional concept of combustion, but more importantly, established the standard for modern scientific experiments. His spirit of exploration and experimentation has become a model for future generations of scientists, inspiring people to continue exploring unknown areas.
In addition, Lavoisier's research process also reminds us to think: In the current scientific world, do we truly understand the relationship between mass and energy? How does this relationship affect our understanding of the universe?
