Is it true that matter can never be destroyed, but really just changes form?

Question

Someone once told me that matter can not really be destroyed...it's just broken down and changes form? Is this true?

Answer 1

The Law of Conservation of Matter states that you can not destroy matter.

When we balance an equation we are showing that no matter was destroyed, just changed around. Elements are not destroyed, they just get together differently to form different compounds.

Einsteins formula says E=mc^2 , that a very small amount of matter can be made into a very large amount of energy in a nuclear reaction This includes fission, fusion reaction. Fusion takes place on the sun. Fission takes place in nuclear reactors. We have exploded both fission and fusion bombs.

There is also a Law of Conservation of Energy that states that energy can not be destroyed just changed from one form to another..

Answer 2

yup  true

Answer 3

The tricky part is that a lot of people confuse "mass" with "matter." They aren't the same thing. Matter in fact can be created and destroyed, but mass can not.

Mass is equivalent to energy, as per Einstein's equivalency ratio E = mc^2.

Many, many, many people don't bother to distinguish the "m" as "mass" rather than "matter."

The difference is this: Mass (and therefore energy) are properties, just like "length" or "hardness." You will never find a clump of "length" or "hardness" in the universe, only things which *possess* them as properties. Likewise, you will never find a clump of "mass" or "energy" in the universe -- only things which possess them.

Matter is that thing which possesses either mass or energy or both. Even if matter is destroyed or created, the overall mass/energy of a system is conserved, however. This is why quantum fluctuations are even possible -- in the quantum vacuum particles pop in and out of existence all the time but the energy/mass is always conserved.

Hope that helps.