THE LAW OF

CONSERVATION
OF MASS and
ENERGY

Energy in Society
By the end of this lesson, you
will be able to infer that the
total mass-energy in the
universe is constant, as
described by the law of
conservation of mass-energy,
and explain the implications of
this concept.
The Law of Conservation of Mass
This law states that mass cannot
be created or destroyed.
In any chemical changes, as well

as in physical changes, the total

mass of the substances
undergoing change stays the same
before and after a change.
Law of Conservation of Energy
This law states that energy cannot
be created or destroyed.
Energy may be changed to

another form during a chemical or

physical change, but the total
amount of energy present before
and after the change is the same.
 Law of CONSERVATION of
MASS-ENERGY

a fundamental principle in


physics that states that the

total mass-energy of an
isolated system remains
constant over time.
 The Fundamental Laws of
Physical Science
MASS and ENERGY
are both CONSERVED.
Neither mass nor energy

can created or destroyed

In simple terms, the law of
conservation of mass-energy can be
summarized as follows:

1.Mass and Energy Equivalence:

Mass and energy are interchangeable.
This means that mass can be converted
into energy, and energy can be
converted into mass.
2. Total Conservation:
In a closed or isolated system
(one that doesn't exchange matter
or energy with its surroundings),
the total amount of mass-energy
remains the same. It doesn't
increase or decrease.
1. Combustion (Mass to Energy):
When you burn a piece of wood or
paper, the mass of the fuel is
converted into energy in the form of
heat and light. The chemical energy
stored in the wood or
paper is released during
combustion.
2. Battery-Powered Devices (Energy
to Mass):
In battery-powered devices, electrical
energy stored in the battery is used to
power the device. When the battery is
fully charged, it has a certain mass due
to the chemicals inside.
As the battery discharges
and releases energy to
power the device, its
mass gradually decreases.
3. Nuclear Power Plants (Mass to
Energy):
•Nuclear power plants use nuclear reactions
to release a tremendous amount of energy.
In these reactions, a small amount of mass is
converted into a significant amount of
energy, following Einstein's famous
equation, E=mc². The mass
loss results in an enormous
release of energy, which is used
to generate electricity.
4. Food and Metabolism (Mass to
Energy):
When you consume food, your body
metabolizes it to extract energy. During
this process, some of the mass of the
food is converted into energy, allowing
you to perform daily activities and
maintain bodily functions.
5. Hydroelectric Power (Energy to
Mass):
Hydroelectric power plants use the kinetic
energy of flowing water to generate
electricity. As water flows over turbines, it
loses some of its kinetic energy, which is
converted into electrical energy. The
decrease in
kinetic energy
corresponds to a tiny
decrease in the mass
6. Nuclear Fusion in Stars (Mass to
Energy):
In stars like our Sun, nuclear fusion occurs in
the core, where hydrogen atoms combine to
form helium. During this process, a small
fraction of the hydrogen mass is converted into
energy. This energy sustains the star's
brightness and warmth, including the energy
we receive as sunlight on Earth.
Problem Statement:
A nuclear reactor contains uranium-
235 fuel rods. During a nuclear
fission reaction, the uranium-235
nuclei split into smaller nuclei,
releasing energy. Calculate the
amount of energy released in a given
nuclear reaction and explain how it
relates to the law of conservation of
Data:
•Mass of one uranium-235 nucleus (m):
3.95 x 10-25 kilograms
•Speed of light (c):
3 x 108 meters per second
•Number of uranium-235 nuclei
undergoing fission: 1,000,000
•Mass defect per nucleus during fission:
0.0035 atomic mass units (AMU)
Tasks:
1.Calculate the total mass defect in the given
nuclear reaction. (Hint: Use the number of
nuclei and mass defect per nucleus.)
2.Use Einstein's equation, E=mc², to
calculate the energy released during this
reaction.
3.Explain how this calculation demonstrates
the law of conservation of mass-energy. How
is the mass converted into energy during this
process?
Solution:
1.Calculate the total mass defect:
Mass defect per nucleus = 0.0035 AMU
Total mass defect = (0.0035 AMU/nucleus) (1,000,000 nuclei)
= 3,500 AMU
2. Convert the mass defect to kilograms to get the
total mass defect
(1 AMU = 1.66 x 10-27 kilograms):
Total mass defect = (3,500 AMU) (1.66 x 10-27 kg/AMU)
= 5.81 x 10-24 kilograms
3. Calculate the energy using E=mc²:
Energy (E) = (5.81 x 10-24 kg) (3 x 108 m/s)²
= 5.23 x 10-7 joules
Problem 2:
Statement: A nuclear fusion reaction
occurs in the core of the Sun, converting
hydrogen nuclei (protons) into helium
nuclei. Given that four(4) hydrogen
nuclei are fused into one helium nucleus,
each with a mass defect of 0.007 atomic
mass units (AMU), calculate the amount
of energy released in a single fusion
reaction.
Solution:
Mass defect per nucleus = 0.007 AMU
Total mass defect = 4 (0.007 AMU) = 0.028
AMU
= (0.028 AMU) (1.66 x 10-27 kg/AMU)
= 4.648 x 10-29 kilograms
Energy (E) = (4.648 x 10-29 kg) (3 x 108 m/s)²
= 4.183 x 10-12 joules
Statement: A car with a mass of
1,500 kilograms is initially at rest on a
hill 30 meters above the ground.
Calculate the potential energy the car
possesses due to its height above the
ground. Then, calculate the kinetic
energy it has when it reaches the
bottom of the hill, assuming no energy
losses due to friction or air resistance.
Solution:
1.Calculate potential energy (PE) at the top of the
hill using the formula PE = mgh, where m is the
mass (1,500 kg), g is the acceleration due to
gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s²), and h is the
height (30 m):
PE = (1,500 kg) (9.81 m/s²) (30 m)
= 441,450 joules
1.At the bottom of the hill, all potential energy is
converted into kinetic energy (KE) because there
is no energy loss:
KE = PE = 441,450 joules