Question

You get a can of soda from the vending machine and your “friend” maliciously shakes it when you’re not looking. You open the can of soda and it fizzes all over your desk, making you regret you had brought it to lab in the first place. Is this a chemical change or a physical change? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Physical Change because a new substance was not created and if it was a chemical change, a new substance would have to be created.

Answer 2

Answer: physical change

Explanation:

A physical change is defined as a change in which there is alteration in shape, size etc. No new substance gets formed in these reactions.

Example: Melting of ice

A chemical change is defined as a change in which a change in chemical composition takes place. A new substance is formed in these reactions.

Example: Corrosion of iron

It is given that the soda can fizzes when it is opened, which means the gas which has been dissolved in soda under high pressures now comes out of the soda due to low pressure. Thus as there is no chemical reaction involved here, this is a physical change.