My chemistry teacher says the amount of matter in the universe isn't always changing. Why is he wrong?

Question

It has to do with the conversion of matter to energy/fusion/fission right?

If I'm not incorrect, Einstein's e=mc^2 equation said that matter could be converted into energy. Isn't that what's happening in suns across the universe?

Answer 1

When two atoms come together and take part in fusion, you end up with one larger atom. But there are still the fundamental parts of the original atoms in there... it's just a bigger atom.

Fission is the same... take an apple and cut it in half. Now you just have two halves of an apple, but you didn't lose any apple in the process. And if you were witnessing fusion, the apple would just be put back together.

Energy is also similar.. energy is just transferred. If you push book off of the table, then it falls. It makes a thud noise, because its energy has just been transferred to the floor. But the book had energy when it was sitting on the table -it's called potential energy. If the table had not been in the way of the book, the book would have fell on its own.

If you need further clarification, let me know.

Answer 2

He may be wrong, depending on how you look at this.

You must first define the word "amount." If you see the word "amount" as total amount of energy, it IS constant. The matter may change shape, density, or into different matter altogether, or even into another form of energy. But, the amount of energy remains constant.

But, if you see amount as "mass" or "size" then it is constantly changing. Nuclear reaction can change the matter into pure energy very quickly. Few ounces of matter will create HUGE amount of energy. (keep in mind, that much of energy was already there, in form of a matter)

As it is true in any science, you must first clearly define what you mean....

Answer 3

Does the tree make a sound if it falls in the woods and noone is there to hear it?

Even as the world was thought to be flat at one time, the fact of the matter is, the MATTER was there, in all of its concepts of being.

In all rational thought, and in accordance with the understanding of the first answerers reasoning and mention to theorum posted regarding such, it is a no-brainer in some ways.

But, I know there is more than vast amounts of unimaginably other vast amounts of unknowns regarding our ever expanding universe that we haven't even a close clue as to its even its realm of possible CONCEPT about yet.

Possibilities.

So,I know I have lost 5 pounds this week, and maybe it was all just displaced, but from the theory posted of in regards to your questions, I would have to say it is what we do not know about this universe that leaves for the theory of such, and from what your chemistry teacher agrees with on this theory, that maybe leaves this theory in itself, quite possibly displaced, which is why it is theory itself.

I beg you to then examine another theory, in which it is felt that things are ever changing, and so then aren't both theories now mentioned here limited by a real analysis of this very same theory I mention, of an in itself?

One could agree that the theory regarding matter mentioned, and the theory behind things are ever changing go together, others may agree that one may quite possibly cancel the other one out, but then how do you know, in our cosmos, if one is having an agreement that theory that these theorum contradict each other, from what is still yet to be discovered, that you may through all possibility even consider maybe that both of these theories could possibly be wrong? Am I right?

Plausabilities

Everything newly discovered in itself, is quite a discovery, and discovery is therefore then, not just in theory.

So

I feel I am unable to agree with your posted of theory at this time based on such analyses, wouldn't you agree?

Just my theory.

Answer 4

he's not wrong...

It's called the conservation of matter. matter is constantly changing form, but not amount.

maybe i'm completely off base, and you're talking about something larger, but that's what i was always taught.