Is Matter Conserved when Steel Wool Burns?

Summary

In this engaging science video, Caleb Fleming of Flimdog Science explores the occurrence of a reaction using steel wool combustion as a demonstration. He discusses the evidence of a reaction, such as color change and heat release, and identifies the reaction type as combustion. Caleb then delves into the mass change during the process, explaining how the iron in the steel wool reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide, resulting in an increase in mass. The video is filled with curiosity and questions that inspire viewers to think about the science behind everyday phenomena.

Takeaways

• 🔬 The video is a science demonstration by Caleb Fleming, focusing on three main points about a reaction involving steel wool.
• 🔍 The first point is to determine if a reaction occurred, with evidence including color change, heat release, and mass change.
• 🔥 The second point discusses the type of reaction, which is identified as a combustion reaction due to the presence of flames.
• 🧪 The third point investigates the change in mass during the reaction, comparing the burning of isopropyl alcohol to steel wool.
• 📉 Isopropyl alcohol loses mass as it burns because the atoms rearrange into gases that escape into the air.
• 📈 Steel wool gains mass as it burns because the iron reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide, which is more massive than the original iron.
• 🌡 The steel wool wire heats up to approximately 700 degrees Celsius during the reaction, causing it to glow.
• 🤔 The video raises several questions for further exploration, such as the effects of different environments on the reaction and the possibility of recovering iron from iron oxide.
• 👫 The script uses a humorous analogy comparing chemical reactions to a high school love story, including synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement reactions.
• 📚 The video is educational, aiming to explain complex chemical concepts in a relatable and engaging way.
• 🔗 The description of the video contains links to additional resources for those interested in learning more about combustion.
• 🎥 The video concludes with an invitation to subscribe for more content, emphasizing the presenter's enthusiasm and curiosity.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is to explore chemical reactions, specifically focusing on evidence of a reaction, the type of reaction, and the change in mass during the burning of steel wool.

What are the three key aspects discussed in the video regarding the chemical reaction?

The three key aspects discussed are: 1) Determining if a reaction occurred and what evidence supports it, 2) Identifying the type of reaction from five general types, and 3) Explaining the change in mass as steel wool burns.

What evidence of a reaction did the video demonstrate with the burning steel wool?

The evidence of a reaction included a color change, heat release, and a change in mass, which was observed as the steel wool burned.

What is the temperature at which the steel wool wire heats up during the reaction?

The steel wool wire heats up to approximately 700 degrees Celsius during the reaction.

What type of reaction did the video suggest occurred with the burning of steel wool?

The video suggested that the reaction occurring with the burning of steel wool is a combustion reaction, which is one of the five general types of reactions.

How does the mass change during the combustion of isopropyl alcohol?

During the combustion of isopropyl alcohol, the mass decreases because the atoms rearrange into gases (CO2 and H2O) that escape into the air and do not contribute to the mass on the scale.

Why does the mass increase when steel wool burns?

The mass increases when steel wool burns because the iron in the wool reacts with oxygen in the air to form iron oxide, which is a compound that is more massive than the initial iron.

What is the difference between the mass change in burning isopropyl alcohol and steel wool?

The mass decreases when burning isopropyl alcohol because the reaction products are gases that escape. In contrast, the mass increases when burning steel wool because the reaction forms a more massive compound, iron oxide, which remains on the scale.

What happens to the mass of steel wool as it reacts with oxygen in the air?

As the steel wool reacts with oxygen in the air, the mass increases due to the formation of iron oxide, which is heavier than the original iron.

What are some of the follow-up questions or experiments suggested in the video regarding the burning of steel wool?

Some suggested follow-up questions or experiments include testing the burning in different environments (oxygen-rich, CO2 rich), using different ignition sources, and exploring what happens to the electrons and energy during the reaction.

Can the iron be retrieved from the iron oxide formed after the burning of steel wool?

The script does not directly answer this, but it implies that further investigation is needed to determine if and how the iron can be retrieved from the iron oxide.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Introduction to Reaction Analysis

In this introductory paragraph, Caleb Fleming, the host of the science video, greets his audience and sets the stage for a lesson on chemical reactions. He emphasizes self-restraint in focusing on just three key aspects of a reaction: evidence of a reaction, the type of reaction, and the change in mass during the reaction. Caleb uses a playful narrative to engage viewers, promising to explore these topics with the example of burning steel wool. The paragraph concludes with a demonstration of a reaction occurring, evidenced by color change, heat release, and mass change, inviting the audience to consider what type of reaction they just witnessed.

05:02

🔥 Combustion and Mass Change Explanation

This paragraph delves into the specifics of combustion, contrasting the behavior of isopropyl alcohol with steel wool when burned. Caleb explains that the mass of isopropyl alcohol decreases as it reacts with oxygen, forming gases like CO2 and H2O, which escape and do not contribute to the mass on the scale. In contrast, burning steel wool results in an increase in mass due to the formation of iron oxide, where the iron reacts with oxygen to form a compound heavier than the original iron. The paragraph uses a hands-on demonstration to illustrate these concepts, highlighting the visual and tangible changes that occur during the combustion process. It concludes with a thought experiment, encouraging viewers to ponder the implications of these reactions in various environments and conditions.

10:02

❓ Curiosity and Further Exploration

The final paragraph of the script poses a series of intriguing questions that invite further exploration of the chemical reactions discussed. Caleb prompts viewers to consider the effects of different environments, such as oxygen-rich or CO2-rich conditions, on the burning process. He also raises questions about the role of electrons and energy in combustion, the possibility of reverting iron oxide back to iron, and whether the entire wire or just the surface turns into iron oxide. The paragraph serves as a call to action for viewers to subscribe for more content, emphasizing the excitement and curiosity that scientific exploration can inspire.

Keywords

💡Reaction

A reaction in the context of this video refers to a chemical process where substances interact to form new products. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses evidence of reactions, such as color change and heat release, observed during the burning of steel wool.

💡Self-restraint

Self-restraint in this script is used metaphorically to describe the presenter's decision to limit the scope of the video to three main points. It illustrates the presenter's discipline in focusing on key topics rather than diverging into numerous details.

💡Combustion

Combustion is a chemical reaction that involves the burning of a substance in the presence of oxygen, producing heat and light. In the video, combustion is exemplified by the burning of steel wool, which is a central demonstration to explain the concept of mass change during a reaction.

💡Evidence

Evidence in this video pertains to the observable signs that indicate a chemical reaction has occurred, such as bubbles, color change, precipitate formation, or temperature change. The script uses these evidences to confirm that a reaction took place when steel wool was burned.

💡Mass

Mass in the video is discussed in relation to changes observed during chemical reactions, particularly combustion. It is a key concept as the video explores how the mass of steel wool changes when it reacts with oxygen, forming a more massive iron oxide compound.

💡Synthesis Reaction

A synthesis reaction is a type of chemical reaction where two or more substances combine to form a single product. The video uses a creative analogy comparing a synthesis reaction to forming a relationship, highlighting the concept's role in the broader discussion of reaction types.

💡Decomposition

Decomposition, in the script, is a reaction where a compound breaks down into two or more simpler substances. It is used metaphorically to describe a breakup, but also literally in the context of chemical reactions, to contrast with synthesis.

💡Single Replacement Reaction

A single replacement reaction is a chemical process where one element in a compound is replaced by another element. The video uses this term in a story to depict a change in relationships, while also relating it back to the theme of chemical reactions.

💡Double Replacement Reaction

A double replacement reaction involves the exchange of elements between two compounds to form two new compounds. The video script uses this term in a playful narrative about dating scenarios, creatively tying it to the main topic of chemical reactions.

💡Iron Oxide

Iron oxide is a compound formed when iron reacts with oxygen. The video explains that burning steel wool results in the formation of iron oxide, which is heavier than the original iron, demonstrating the concept of mass increase in certain chemical reactions.

💡Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is used in the video as an example to illustrate how mass changes during combustion. When it burns, it produces carbon dioxide and water vapor, causing the mass to decrease as the products leave the scale, contrasting with the behavior of steel wool.

Highlights

Introduction to science experiment and explanation of three key focus areas: reaction occurrence, type of reaction, and change in mass.

Visual evidence of a reaction, including color change and heat release when steel wool is burned.

Explanation of different types of chemical reactions using a relatable story about relationships and lab partners.

Description of combustion as one of the reactions observed, with flames and heat as evidence.

Comparison of mass change in burning isopropyl alcohol and steel wool, emphasizing the difference in behavior due to the formation of gases in alcohol combustion.

Explanation of why the mass of steel wool increases during burning, due to the formation of iron oxide as oxygen binds to iron.

Demonstration of how steel wool reacts with oxygen in the air, leading to an increase in mass as iron oxide forms.

Discussion of the concept of mass increase in the context of chemical reactions, particularly focusing on iron and oxygen interaction.

Explanation of why the mass initially decreases during the burning of steel wool and then increases as more oxygen binds to the iron.

Questions posed about different scenarios, such as burning steel wool in an oxygen-rich or CO2-rich environment.

Curiosity-driven exploration of the potential effects of burning steel wool under different conditions, such as underwater or in a jar filled with oxygen.

Query about the possibility of retrieving iron from the iron oxide formed during combustion.

Inquiry into whether the entire steel wool turns into iron oxide or just the outer layer.

Encouragement to viewers to subscribe for more science experiments and explorations.

Conclusion with a tease of future experiments and a reminder of the various questions left unanswered for future exploration.

Transcripts

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science with me caleb subscribe like

comment hit that bell

science lovers welcome to flimdog

science i'm caleb fleming and first off

i have fantastic news for you he's okay

right you're good

eyes just a little wandering but uh he's

good today we're going to look at three

things my self-restraint to only do

three is unbelievable you have no idea

how much i want to look at like 20 other

things but three things today first

we're gonna see did a reaction occur and

if it did what's the evidence

second what type of reaction do you

think this was of our five general types

of reactions third how do we account for

the change in mass as the steel wool

burned

let's begin did a reaction occur let me

do a really simple version of what we

did that's going to go really fast

you saw that so did a reaction occur

here's your normal evidences of reaction

you might get some bubbles in a solution

you might see a color change in the

solution

you might see a precipitate form

you might feel it get cold or feel it

get hot

if there's any other evidences i forgot

let me know in those comments when you

watch that did any of those things occur

did you see the color change

you saw it right i saw it too

did you see the heat being released

i could feel it it was it was radiating

off there the wire actually heats up to

about 700 degrees celsius is what i read

that's why it's glowing hot third

we had a change in mass and that is

evidence that we might have a

precipitate forming but it's not in

solution it's on the wire did a reaction

occur

you tell me what was our evidence

second what type of reaction occurred

let me tell you a quick story that goes

through our five types of reactions

you're in lab class where you've always

wanted to be or always get back to and

sitting across from you is your dream

person your eyes connect over a flaming

green cloud of fire that's going from

this reaction and you realize

this is my person

you combine in a synthesis reaction you

have your special person but because

it's high school it's a highly unstable

relationship

and you decompose

into two independent scientists once

again

and what was a primary reason that you

decomposed into two independent

scientists once again

it's because your lab partner connected

eyes with another person sitting at your

bench and not only did you decompose you

were replaced

so your lab partner joined someone else

and single replacement reaction

but all is not lost because you go out

to ice cream and you take your date and

your best friend takes their date but as

you're sitting at that table the eyes

cross of opposite buddies

and you have double replacement reaction

go on and the flames of true love and

combustion take place

so what type of reaction did we see go

on

we saw fire

flames that's combustion we also saw

potentially one other thing that we'll

try to get to by the end

so third thing we want to check out how

do we explain the change in the mass

first off let's think about what's going

on with combustion if you've missed our

combustion videos i'm gonna put a few

links down in the description i've got

like i don't know four or five six

something like that combustion videos

including a fun little handwritten

tutorial about isopropyl and to help us

understand the mass when we burn steel

wool let's look at what happens to the

mass when we light isopropyl alcohol on

fire

1.67 grams here

can you see what's happening to the mass

there might be a little reflection

the mass is immediately going down

immediately so the isopropyl alcohol is

a carbon chain with an alcohol group and

oh attached to it and as the alcohol

bumps into the oxygen in the air the

alcohol the carbon the oxygen and the

hydrogen in that collision are all

rearranging

so the alcohol right now is pushing down

on the scale giving us our mass reading

as the alcohol reacts with the oxygen

co2 is leaving

h2o gas is leaving

so the carbon and oxygen are leaving as

a gas that's not pushing on the scale

the hydrogen and oxygen are leaving as a

gas that's not pushing down on the scale

so the mass pushing down on the scale is

slowly decreasing until we're left with

essentially

nothing

so that's what's going on with alcohol

the mass decreases of the thing that's

burning not because the atoms are lost

but because they're rearranged into a

gas that goes into the air how is that

different than steel wool well when you

burn steel wool what did we see happen

to the mass let's burn a little more

just because it's incredibly cool

so right now i have 2.81 grams of steel

wool let's see what happens to the mass

when we burn it

we'll pay special attention to that

okay first the mass decreases which is

interesting we can talk about why but

now the mass is going up why is the mass

going up steel wool is made of iron and

as the iron reacts with the oxygen in

the air instead of becoming a gas that

leaves it grabs the oxygen and sticks to

it

so the iron is not the only thing

pushing down on the scale now it's the

iron and the oxygen that stuck to the

iron making a iron oxide compound that

is now more massive so the scale's going

to register it as more mass

and so the mass here is increasing

so cool color change heat getting more

mass

so many questions

i have so many questions so imagine this

is our little guy from the beginning

okay

19.1 we touch him with the battery

and what starts happening it starts

reacting with the oxygen in the air

the oxygen in the air starts sticking to

them

we're no longer at 19. now we're 21. my

little guy is getting more and more

massive as these oxygens in the air

start sticking to them so the oxygen

reacts with the iron

in the steel wool

sticks to it making

this iron oxide compound

and the iron oxide compound is more

massive than your initial iron compound

that you started with at the beginning

and it's pretty much pure iron with a

little carbon in it

so

our iron oxide at the end a little more

mass than the iron that we started with

super cool reaction

now let's think about what was happening

when this guy was combusting

does that make sense now when you watch

that how the oxygen reacting with the

iron to make that iron oxide which is

now more massive and thus there's more

mass it's weighing more as time goes on

so fun questions for you i have so many

questions

so many what happens if you like this in

an oxygen-rich environment what happens

if it's a co2 rich environment we could

do that with like dry ice what happens

if you light it when it's wet or if it's

under water or if it's in a jar with

water surrounding it or in a jar filled

with oxygen or a jar filled with co2

what happens if you try to light it with

just regular match or a lighter what

happens to the electrons that allow this

to take place where's the energy coming

from that allows it to burn can we get

the iron back from the iron oxide that

forms is the whole wire turning into

iron oxide or is it just the periphery

there's so many things that i'm curious

about but we're gonna stop right now

self control

if you haven't yet consider subscribing

so you don't miss out and we will do

this again really soon i can't wait have

a great day

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