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Combustion and mass

Will the mass of iron wool change when it is heated, and if so, will it increase or decrease? We start by seeing equal masses of iron wool on a set of scales. The presenter wonders what will happen when she burns the iron wool on one side of the scales. The children think the mass of the burnt iron wool will either be less or stay the same. The presenter performs another experiment in a bell jar to show that oxygen is consumed in the burning or combustion process. The result is iron oxide, a heavier substance.

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2 minutes