Mass Is Conserved - Volume Is Not! Chemical Demonstration Kit

50 + 50 doesn’t always equal 100! Many students have heard that matter is not created or destroyed. This concept relates to mass but not to volume or moles. Show students that adding two identical volumes does not always give twice the volume when combined. Three different demonstrations are performed to show that in the combination of reactants different intermolecular bonding and densities may result—leaving the final volume a discrepant event. Demonstration kit comes complete with instructions, teaching information, sample data, a reproducible student handout, and answers for the teacher.

Concepts: Conservation of mass, intermolecular forces–hydrogen bonding, neutralization, density.

Time Required: 15 - 20 minutes

Chemicals Provided: Ethyl alcohol, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide.