Question

a class reads two claims about a candle burning in a sealed container: claim x: \the total mass stays the same.\ claim y: \because matter is made of atoms that rearrange, not disappear.\ which best classifies the claims? claim x states an everyday opinion; claim y states a law; neither is scientific because no math is shown. claim x states a hypothesis; claim y states a law; together they become a theory next time. claim x states a theory; claim y states another theory; laws cannot be used with chemical reactions. claim x states a law (what happens); claim y provides a theoretical explanation (why it happens).

Explanation:

Claim X describes the observed, consistent outcome of mass remaining unchanged in a sealed system during a chemical change, which is the Law of Conservation of Mass (a scientific law, defining "what happens"). Claim Y provides the atomic-level reasoning for this observation, explaining "why" the mass stays constant, which is a theoretical explanation based on atomic theory. The other options misclassify the claims: they are scientific, Claim X is not an opinion/hypothesis/theory, and laws pair with theoretical explanations for chemical reactions.

Answer:

D. Claim X states a law (what happens); Claim Y provides a theoretical explanation (why it happens).