Early chemists, known at the time as alchemists, had a difficult time understanding the Law of Conservation of Mass. Using the burning of
wood as an example, what property of matter made this law difficult
for early scientists to understand?

answer; /// the amount of material dissolved in a measure of liquid(concentration) the above statement is (true); /// good luck

(newtons first law)

conservation of momentum law states :

momentum before collision = momentum after collision

momentum p (kg-m/s)= mass * velocity

say moving car=1 000 kg, velocity = 10 m/s then p = 1 000*10= 10 000 kg-m/s

say still car = 2 000 kg, velocity = 0 m/s then p = 2 000* 0 = 0 kg-m/s

total momentum prior to collision = 10 000 + 0 = 10 000 kg-m/s

momentum after collision = 10 000 kg-m/s

mass now = 1 000 kg+2 000 kg = 3 000 kg

10 000 = 3 000 kg* velocity m/s

10 000/3 000 = velocity

3.33 m/s = velocity after collision

an impulse is a force applied over time , momentum is exclusive of external forces and a perfect collision is implied

alchemy hadn't scientific methods of study, appeal to mysticism and fantasy, the knowledge of chemistry and physics were modest at that time.

alchemy was - but as new rules were discovered it either changed into chemistry or it became "unscientific".