Changes in Matter: Physical vs.
Chemical
Changes
Matter is capable of undergoing changes, which are classified as
either physical or chemical. Physical changes in matter are often
reversible. For example, an ice cube can melt into liquid water, and
then the liquid water can be refrozen into an ice cube. Chemical
changes, on the other hand, are not reversible: A log burned in a fire
turns to ashes, but the ashes cannot be changed back into a log.
What Is a Physical Change?
In a physical change, the material involved is structurally the same
before and after the change. Examples of some physical changes are
texture, shape, temperature, and a change in the state of matter. A
change in the texture of a substance is a change in the way it feels.
For instance, a block of wood may feel rough when you run your finger
across it. If you rub that block of wood with sandpaper to smooth the
surface, it will no longer feel rough. The wood itself has not changed
during sanding to become a new material, though—only the texture of
the surface changed. A piece of metal may be heated in a fire until it
glows, but the metal is the same material before heating and after
cooling. Similarly, when a material changes phase, it only changes
physically; the substance is still the same. Think about ice melting into
water, and then water being heated up and turning into steam. The
chemical structure of water is the same whether it is a solid (ice),
liquid, or gas (steam).
What Is a Chemical Change?
A chemical change occurs when the composition of a substance is
changed. Chemical changes require the breaking and forming
of chemical bonds during a chemical reaction. This results in the
rearranging of atoms in substances to form the products of a chemical
reaction, which become brand new molecules. These new molecules
cannot be easily reverted back to their original state.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a chemical reaction has taken place.
To help determine whether there has been a reaction, chemists
consider a few basic indicators. These include a change in
temperature, a change in color, or the development of an odor. The
formation of a precipitate or the formation of a gas may also indicate a
chemical reaction.
In a chemical alteration, a temperature change occurs as a result of
the breaking or formation of chemical bonds. When the chemical
bonds of the reactants are broken, sometimes excess energy is
released. This can cause heat to be discharged, leading to an
increase in temperature. Burning wood is an example of a reaction
that releases excess energy as heat. A chemical cold pack in a first
aid kit is an example of a chemical reaction that absorbs heat energy,
rather than releasing it. This results in cooling.
An example of a color change signaling a chemical reaction can be
observed when iron reacts with oxygen to produce iron oxide. A
common example is when an iron nail is left outside. Over time, it
develops a reddish-brown rust.
Rotting food illustrates odor development as a result of a chemical
change. When food spoils it may produce a foul odor. This is because
of chemical reactions that take place as the food begins to break down
and go bad. These changes lead to the formation of new substances
that have unique smells.
Another common sign of a chemical reaction is the formation of a
precipitate. This happens when chemicals dissolved in a solution are
mixed together and an insoluble solid forms in the liquid mixture. This
solid is a precipitate. The creation of a new, solid substance from two
liquid substances indicates that a reaction has taken place that has
altered the original substances.
A chemical reaction may also release a gas. For example, a mix of
vinegar and baking soda will immediately start bubbling and foaming.
The bubbles are a release of carbon dioxide gas, a product of the
chemical reaction between these two household substances.
Chemical Change or Physical Change?
Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a change is physical or
chemical. For example, think about dissolving table salt (sodium
chloride) into liquid water. The solid table salt is added to the water
and disappears. This dissolution is easily identified as a physical
change, because if the water is allowed to evaporate, the salt remains
after all the water has evaporated. In other words, the salt has not
been permanently altered. However, table salt is an ionic
compound. Ions are negatively or positively charged atoms or
molecules (because of the loss or gain of an electron). When ionic
compounds are added to water, they dissociate or break apart into
ions. In the case of table salt, salt added to water dissociates into
sodium ions (positive) and chloride ions (negative). This would seem
to be a chemical change. However, scientists do not consider this to
be one, because the solid table salt remains after the water is
evaporated. The atoms recombine into their original arrangement
once the water is removed.
The formation of alloys is another example of a change that is difficult
to identify as either physical or chemical. An alloy is a metal that has
different properties from the metals that are mixed together to make it.
Brass is a common example, which can be found on musical
instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and saxophones. Brass is
made up of about 60 percent copper and 40 percent zinc. However,
brass has different properties than either copper or zinc alone. Brass,
though, is not made using a chemical reaction. The copper and zinc
atoms are both in brass, but they do not chemically bond together. As
a result, brass represents a physical change instead of a chemical
change.
Remember that a physical change is a change in properties such as
texture, shape, or state. In contrast, a chemical change represents the
formation of a new substance after the atoms are rearranged by
means of a chemical reaction. Unlike many physical reactions, a
chemical reaction cannot be easily reversed and sometimes cannot be
reversed at all.
Matter is capable of undergoing changes, which are classified as
either physical or chemical. Physical changes in matter are often
reversible. For example, an ice cube can melt into liquid water, and
then the liquid water can be refrozen into an ice cube. Chemical
changes, on the other hand, are not reversible: A log burned in a fire
turns to ashes, but the ashes cannot be changed back into a log.
What Is a Physical Change?
In a physical change, the material involved is structurally the same
before and after the change. Examples of some physical changes are
texture, shape, temperature, and a change in the state of matter. A
change in the texture of a substance is a change in the way it feels.
For instance, a block of wood may feel rough when you run your finger
across it. If you rub that block of wood with sandpaper to smooth the
surface, it will no longer feel rough. The wood itself has not changed
during sanding to become a new material, though—only the texture of
the surface changed. A piece of metal may be heated in a fire until it
glows, but the metal is the same material before heating and after
cooling. Similarly, when a material changes phase, it only changes
physically; the substance is still the same. Think about ice melting into
water, and then water being heated up and turning into steam. The
chemical structure of water is the same whether it is a solid (ice),
liquid, or gas (steam).
What Is a Chemical Change?
A chemical change occurs when the composition of a substance is
changed. Chemical changes require the breaking and forming
of chemical bonds during a chemical reaction. This results in the
rearranging of atoms in substances to form the products of a chemical
reaction, which become brand new molecules. These new molecules
cannot be easily reverted back to their original state.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a chemical reaction has taken place.
To help determine whether there has been a reaction, chemists
consider a few basic indicators. These include a change in
temperature, a change in color, or the development of an odor. The
formation of a precipitate or the formation of a gas may also indicate a
chemical reaction.
In a chemical alteration, a temperature change occurs as a result of
the breaking or formation of chemical bonds. When the chemical
bonds of the reactants are broken, sometimes excess energy is
released. This can cause heat to be discharged, leading to an
increase in temperature. Burning wood is an example of a reaction
that releases excess energy as heat. A chemical cold pack in a first
aid kit is an example of a chemical reaction that absorbs heat energy,
rather than releasing it. This results in cooling.
An example of a color change signaling a chemical reaction can be
observed when iron reacts with oxygen to produce iron oxide. A
common example is when an iron nail is left outside. Over time, it
develops a reddish-brown rust.
Rotting food illustrates odor development as a result of a chemical
change. When food spoils it may produce a foul odor. This is because
of chemical reactions that take place as the food begins to break down
and go bad. These changes lead to the formation of new substances
that have unique smells.
Another common sign of a chemical reaction is the formation of a
precipitate. This happens when chemicals dissolved in a solution are
mixed together and an insoluble solid forms in the liquid mixture. This
solid is a precipitate. The creation of a new, solid substance from two
liquid substances indicates that a reaction has taken place that has
altered the original substances.
A chemical reaction may also release a gas. For example, a mix of
vinegar and baking soda will immediately start bubbling and foaming.
The bubbles are a release of carbon dioxide gas, a product of the
chemical reaction between these two household substances.
Chemical Change or Physical Change?
Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a change is physical or
chemical. For example, think about dissolving table salt (sodium
chloride) into liquid water. The solid table salt is added to the water
and disappears. This dissolution is easily identified as a physical
change, because if the water is allowed to evaporate, the salt remains
after all the water has evaporated. In other words, the salt has not
been permanently altered. However, table salt is an ionic
compound. Ions are negatively or positively charged atoms or
molecules (because of the loss or gain of an electron). When ionic
compounds are added to water, they dissociate or break apart into
ions. In the case of table salt, salt added to water dissociates into
sodium ions (positive) and chloride ions (negative). This would seem
to be a chemical change. However, scientists do not consider this to
be one, because the solid table salt remains after the water is
evaporated. The atoms recombine into their original arrangement
once the water is removed.
The formation of alloys is another example of a change that is difficult
to identify as either physical or chemical. An alloy is a metal that has
different properties from the metals that are mixed together to make it.
Brass is a common example, which can be found on musical
instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and saxophones. Brass is
made up of about 60 percent copper and 40 percent zinc. However,
brass has different properties than either copper or zinc alone. Brass,
though, is not made using a chemical reaction. The copper and zinc
atoms are both in brass, but they do not chemically bond together. As
a result, brass represents a physical change instead of a chemical
change.
Remember that a physical change is a change in properties such as
texture, shape, or state. In contrast, a chemical change represents the
formation of a new substance after the atoms are rearranged by
means of a chemical reaction. Unlike many physical reactions, a
chemical reaction cannot be easily reversed and sometimes cannot be
reversed at all.
VOCABULARY
-Alloy: mixture of two or more metals.
-chemical bond: attraction between atoms, ions or molecules that
enables the formation of chemical compounds.
-chemical change: the breaking or forming of bonds between
molecules or atoms, making at least one new substance.
-chemical reaction: process that involves a change in atoms, ions, or
molecules of the substances (reagents) involved.
-dissociate: splitting a molecule or compound into separate atoms,
ions, or molecules
-dissolve: to break up or disintegrate.
Ion: electrically charged atom or group of atoms, formed by the atom
having gained or lost an electron.
Matter: material that makes up a substance.
Melting: to become altered from a solid to a liquid state usually by heat
Molecule: smallest physical unit of a substance, consisting of two or
more atoms linked together.
Precipitate: to separate a solid from a solution.
Product: substance formed as a result of a chemical reaction
Reactant: substance participating in a chemical reaction, often one
present at the start of the reaction.
