a student combines two liquids in a beaker. she observers that the mass of the combined liquids is less than the mass of two seperate liquids not conserved in chemical reactions

This observation is likely due to a chemical reaction taking place between the two liquids. During a chemical reaction, bonds are broken and new bonds are formed, resulting in a rearrangement of atoms and molecules. This can lead to a decrease in mass due to the release of gases or the formation of a new solid or liquid with a lower density. The Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, still holds true in this scenario – the mass is still conserved, but it is now distributed in a different form.