Difficulty: Hard

Average Score: 33%

A server accidentally drops an empty glass. Upon hitting the floor, the glass breaks into many small pieces.

What can the server conclude about the mass of the unbroken glass, according to the law of conservation of matter?

Rationale

The mass of the unbroken glass is equal to the total mass of the glass pieces.

According to the law of conservation of matter, matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. Therefore, the mass of the original unbroken glass must be equal to the combined mass of all the pieces after it breaks.

A (It is less than the total mass of the glass pieces.) YOUR ANSWER

This statement contradicts the law of conservation of matter, which asserts that the mass before and after a physical change remains constant. If the mass of the unbroken glass were less, it would imply that some mass was lost or destroyed when the glass broke, which is not possible.

B (It is unrelated to the total mass of the glass pieces.) YOUR ANSWER

This choice misinterprets the relationship defined by the law of conservation of matter. The mass of the unbroken glass is directly related to the mass of the broken pieces, as they must equal each other. Therefore, it is not accurate to claim they are unrelated.

C (It is greater than the total mass of the glass pieces.) YOUR ANSWER

If the mass of the unbroken glass were greater, it would suggest that mass was added to the system during the breaking process, which violates the principle that mass is conserved. The total mass of the glass pieces must reflect the original mass of the unbroken glass.

D (It is equal to the total mass of the glass pieces.) CORRECT

This statement aligns with the law of conservation of matter, confirming that the mass before the glass was broken (the unbroken glass) is identical to the mass after it breaks (the glass pieces). Thus, the total mass remains unchanged regardless of the state of the glass.

Conclusion

The law of conservation of matter asserts that mass is conserved in physical processes. In this scenario, the server can conclude that the mass of the unbroken glass is equal to the total mass of the broken pieces, reaffirming that no mass is lost during the breaking process. All mass remains accounted for, whether in one solid form or fragmented into multiple pieces.

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