Why is the mass of alcohol constantly decreasing when the spirit lamp burns?

| August 22, 2021 | education

Why is the mass of alcohol constantly decreasing when the spirit lamp burns? Does this not violate the law of conservation of the mass of substances?

Alcohol in a spirit lamp is the same fuel as gasoline in a car. Due to capillary phenomena, the liquid (alcohol) rises up into the flame zone. When burned, alcohol vapors leave the surface of the wick and oxidize to carbon dioxide and water. New portions of alcohol rise upward again (since the existing dynamic equilibrium was violated in the absence of combustion) and are oxidized again. Over time, all the alcohol is used up. Thus, there is no violation of the law of conservation of masses – the total mass of oxygen and alcohol is equal to the mass of carbon dioxide and water formed as a result of the reaction.



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