Josh heated a certain amount of blue copper sulfate crystals to get 2.1 g of white copper sulfate powder and 1.4 g of water. What is most likely the mass of the blue copper sulfate that he heated and why?

The mass of blue copper sulfate is 3.5 g

Explanation:

Law of conservation of mass states that mass can neither be created nor be destroyed but it can only be transformed from one form to another form.

This also means that total mass on the reactant side must be equal to the total mass on the product side.

The chemical equation for the heating of copper sulfate crystals is:

Let the mass of blue copper sulfate be 'x' grams

We are given:

Mass of copper sulfate powder = 2.1 grams

Mass of water = 1.4 grams

Total mass on reactant side = x

Total mass on product side = (2.1 + 1.4) g

So, by applying law of conservation of mass, we get:

Hence, the mass of blue copper sulfate is 3.5 grams