why is it that when something (ie a dog is cremated) is lighter when it is burned to ashes?

Question

so whats the combustion process

but logs (as in fire wood) dont contain water so how does that work ? sorry guys this is coming from a female who never completed high school

cool i get ya now. so how does that work when ya burn wood cause I'm thinking wood does'nt have much water if ANY .

Answer 1

All the other answers were wrong in some way or other. Matter is not converted to energy in the cremation process.

So-called "ashes" from a cremated body are simply the non-flammable remnant of the bones. All other parts of the body: muscle, fat, skin, bone marrow, and all burn away in the crematory, which runs at up to 2,400 degrees.

So 96 percent or so of the body simply burns up, and goes into the air as exhaust gasses. In fact crematories are required to follow strict environmental restrictions.

So we end up ashes, which weigh about the same as we weighed when we were born. Easy come, easy go...

Answer 2

Suppose that a dead body has a mass of 100 pounds and that it is about to be cremated. The body consists of about 70 pounds of water. The remaining 30 pounds consists of tissue, some of which will burn and become smoke or gas, and some of which will become "ash". Clearly, the ash does not contain the water or the smoke or the gas as all three have gone up the stack. In all likelihood, of the 100 pounds, more than 98 pounds becomes water vapour, smoke or gas. You will now be able to see that only 2 pounds of material, namely the ash, is available to put on the scales.

Answer 3

The same reason the ashes at the bottom of your fireplace are lighter than the original logs. The combustion process.

Answer 4

Body is made of more or less 70% water. Content water of ashes is really low. While water is probably the biggest sole contributor to weight change, it is not the only one during cremation.

Answer 5

Like they said- our bodies are 70% water. Myhusband was cremated. He weighed about 200 # and his ashes weigh about 15#

Answer 6

Because the mass of the body is turned to energy when burned. With less mass, the remains are lighter and can float or, more accurately, be blown about in the wind.

Answer 7

Carbon dioxide and water vapour are products of combustion. They escape into the atmosphere and are not available for putting in the box

Answer 8

All the fat from the organs, skin and the liquids were burned away. All it leaves is the bones and ash. That's why it's lighter.

Answer 9

In the simplest terms, it's because the liquid is removed. Just as if you dried fruit, it becomes lighter because there's less volume.