Massaverliezen

Massaverliezen is a Dutch term that denotes the loss of mass of a body or system over time. It encompasses reductions caused by physical, chemical, or biological processes, such as evaporation, dissolution, corrosion, wear, weathering, or degradation by organisms. In practice, mass loss is used as a simple, quantitative measure of material change and is often reported as absolute mass loss (grams) or as a percentage of the initial mass.

Measurement typically involves weighing the subject before and after exposure. Depending on the context, samples may be dried to a constant mass, cleaned of surface residues, or subjected to repeated weighing to improve accuracy. Mass loss data are used in gravimetric analysis, materials testing, and environmental or geological assessments.

Causes and contexts: In materials science, mass loss tracks corrosion and wear rates. In geology, weathering reduces rock mass. In environmental engineering, evaporation or leaching can remove mass from soils or containers. Biological processes, such as microbial decay, can also contribute to mass loss in organic materials.

Factors influencing the rate include temperature, chemical environment, exposure time, humidity, flow conditions, surface area, and the intrinsic properties of the material. The mass-loss rate is often modeled as a function of time, and in some cases follows Arrhenius-type temperature dependence or first-order kinetics with respect to time.

Interpretation and limitations: Mass loss must be distinguished from apparent mass changes due to moisture gain or adsorption. For cross-comparison, standardized sample preparation and consistent drying, cleaning, and weighing procedures are essential.

See also: mass loss, gravimetric analysis, corrosion rate, wear rate, weathering.