State the mass law(s) demonstrated by the following experimental results, and explain your reasoning: Experiment 1: A student heats \(1.00 \mathrm{~g}\) of a blue compound and obtains \(0.64 \mathrm{~g}\) of a white compound and \(0.36 \mathrm{~g}\) of a colorless gas. Experiment 2: A second student heats \(3.25 \mathrm{~g}\) of the same blue compound and obtains \(2.08 \mathrm{~g}\) of a white compound and \(1.17 \mathrm{~g}\) of a colorless gas.

The term 'mass laws' in chemistry refers to principles that describe the conservation and changes in mass during chemical processes. One of the key mass laws is the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law states that the total mass of substances involved in any chemical reaction remains constant. The mass of the reactants before the reaction is equal to the mass of the products after the reaction. For instance, if you start with 10 grams of reactants, after the reaction, you should have exactly 10 grams of products, provided the system is closed and no mass has escaped or been added.
Another essential mass law is the Law of Definite Proportions (or the Law of Constant Composition). It states that any chemical compound always contains its component elements in fixed ratio by mass. For example, water (H₂O) is always composed of hydrogen and oxygen in a 2:16 or 1:8 mass ratio. Understanding these mass laws helps us predict the outcomes of chemical reactions and ensure we account for all matter involved in a process.

A chemical reaction involves the transformation of one or more substances into new substances. During this process, reactants interact to form products. These products are different in chemical composition but the total mass number does not change, thanks to the Law of Conservation of Mass.
In the experiments described, the reaction is the heating (which is a form of adding energy) of a blue compound to produce a white compound and a colorless gas. This reaction is an example of decomposition, a type of chemical reaction where a single compound breaks down into two or more products. Decomposition reactions are common in chemistry, typically requiring energy input in the form of heat.
Key components of every chemical reaction include:

• Reactants: The starting substances, here the blue compound.
• Products: The substances formed from the reaction, here the white compound and colorless gas.
• Energy: Required to break chemical bonds in reactants for new bonds to form in products.

Understanding these components helps students predict how substances will react and what outcomes to expect.

The Law of Conservation of Mass, formulated by Antoine Lavoisier, is a fundamental principle in chemistry. It postulates that mass is neither created nor destroyed in any chemical reaction. This can be particularly illustrated by the two experiments mentioned.
In Experiment 1, a blue compound weighing 1.00 g is heated, resulting in 0.64 g of a white compound and 0.36 g of a colorless gas. Summing these masses gives:
\(\text{Initial mass of blue compound} = \text{Total mass of products}\to 1.00 \, \text{g} = 0.64 \, \text{g} + 0.36 \, \text{g} = 1.00 \, \text{g}\)
Similarly, in Experiment 2, 3.25 g of the blue compound decomposes into 2.08 g of a white compound and 1.17 g of a colorless gas.
Summing these masses gives:
\(\text{Initial mass of blue compound} = \text{Total mass of products}\ 3.25 \, \text{g} = 2.08 \, \text{g} + 1.17 \, \text{g} = 3.25 \, \text{g}\)
The consistency in mass measurements before and after reactions in both experiments confirms the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law is crucial for accurately predicting and balancing chemical reactions, ensuring that all matter is accounted for, no matter the physical or chemical changes it undergoes.