The phlogiston theory in the 17th century attempted to explain burning. the theory stated that combustable objects contained a material called phlogiston, a substance without mass, color, odor, etc. after objects burned, the objects were dephlogistonated and were then in their true form.

the phlogiston theory was accepted until the 18th century, when lavosier proved that combustion requires a gas that has mass. phlogiston is evidence that