Chemistry Conservation of Matter in Physical and Chemical ...
DEMONSTRATING THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MATTER
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CONSERVATION OF MATTER 167 This history, brief and fragmentary as it is, demonstrates that scientific knowledge accumulates slowly; that it does not spring full-formed from the mind of any one individual, but is the result of the contributions of many. Each of this series of investigators to whom I have referred might well repeat the words of the poet: tt! caught the fire from those who went before, The bearers of the torch who could not see The-goal to which they strained. I caught the fire, And carried it, only a little way beyond.^ What I have said is one more illustration that the search for truth may yield significant practical applications in unexpected places. Did Darwin have in mind the rooting of lemon twigs when he studied the movement of coleoptiles to light? Did Boysen-Jensen perform his experiments with the idea of making the propagation of cuttings more certain? Of course, neither had in mind any such applications of the results of their work. Both were interested primarily in satisfying their curiosity about certain fundamental natural phenomena. The history of science is full of such examples in which the discovery of truth yields unexpected and unanticipated practical applications. DEMONSTRATING THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MATTER BY FRANK COOK Wilson Jr. College, Chicago, Illinois The experiments usually listed for demonstrating the law of conserva- tion of matter lack the happy combination of a bit more than tolerable accuracy and facility and expediency of performance. Obviously, the ad- vantages of the demonstration described here over the solution-mixing or candle-burning method require no mention. A photoflash bulb* is weighed on an analytical balance. It is screwed into a 110 volt socket, and a flash brilliantly displays the combustion of the metal foil. The bulb is permitted to cool and again placed on the pan. The balancing point remains the same as before combustion; and hence, mass was neither lost nor gained. Possible error may be due to handling of the bulb with moist hands and/ or the picking up of matter by the base of the bulb from a dirty socket. * Can Be purchased at any camera shop or drug store handling photographic material for about 15 cents.
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Transcript of DEMONSTRATING THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MATTER
CONSERVATION OF MATTER 167
This history, brief and fragmentary as it is, demonstratesthat scientific knowledge accumulates slowly; that it does notspring full-formed from the mind of any one individual, but isthe result of the contributions of many. Each of this series ofinvestigators to whom I have referred might well repeat thewords of the poet:
tt! caught the fire from those who went before,The bearers of the torch who could not seeThe-goal to which they strained. I caught the fire,And carried it, only a little way beyond.^
What I have said is one more illustration that the search fortruth may yield significant practical applications in unexpectedplaces. Did Darwin have in mind the rooting of lemon twigswhen he studied the movement of coleoptiles to light? DidBoysen-Jensen perform his experiments with the idea of makingthe propagation of cuttings more certain? Of course, neither hadin mind any such applications of the results of their work. Bothwere interested primarily in satisfying their curiosity aboutcertain fundamental natural phenomena. The history of scienceis full of such examples in which the discovery of truth yieldsunexpected and unanticipated practical applications.
DEMONSTRATING THE LAW OF CONSERVATIONOF MATTER
BY FRANK COOKWilson Jr. College, Chicago, Illinois
The experiments usually listed for demonstrating the law of conserva-tion of matter lack the happy combination of a bit more than tolerableaccuracy and facility and expediency of performance. Obviously, the ad-vantages of the demonstration described here over the solution-mixing orcandle-burning method require no mention.A photoflash bulb* is weighed on an analytical balance. It is screwed into
a 110 volt socket, and a flash brilliantly displays the combustion of themetal foil. The bulb is permitted to cool and again placed on the pan. Thebalancing point remains the same as before combustion; and hence, masswas neither lost nor gained.
Possible error may be due to handling of the bulb with moist hands and/or the picking up of matter by the base of the bulb from a dirty socket.
* Can Be purchased at any camera shop or drug store handling photographic material for about15 cents.
