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conservation of mass
noun phrase
: a principle in classical physics: the total mass of any isolated material system is neither increased nor diminished by reactions between the parts
called also conservation of matter
Examples of conservation of mass in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many of them, like Newton’s laws of motion or the law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions, are expressed in a rigorous mathematical form.
—Dina Genkina, Ars Technica, 8 Aug. 2023
If that was the case, then the city’s rental frenzy defied not just laws of supply and demand but also conservation of mass.
—Lane Brown, Curbed, 27 Jan. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1884, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of conservation of mass was
in 1884
Dictionary Entries Near conservation of mass
Cite this Entry
“Conservation of mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservation%20of%20mass. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
conservation of mass
: a principle in physics that states that mass can neither be created nor destroyed and that the total mass of any material system is neither increased nor decreased by reactions between the parts
called also conservation of matter
Medical Definition
conservation of mass
noun
: a principle in classical physics: the total mass of any material system is neither increased nor diminished by reactions between the parts
called also conservation of matter, law of conservation of matter
More from Merriam-Webster on conservation of mass
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conservation of mass
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