// Definition
An analytical chemistry approach where the total mass of starting compounds is tracked through a process to account for all inputs, outputs, and transformations. In cannabis analysis, mass balance involves starting with known amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes, then measuring what changes occur during heating, distillation, or extraction.
// From the Episode
Mark Scialdone described mass balance as the gold standard for understanding what happens thermally to cannabis compounds in episode 031. He proposed starting with a known amount of compounds in an oil, heating it, and using NMR to dynamically observe how the structures of all compounds change with time and temperature.