Question

Is peanut butter and red food coloring a chemical change or a physical change?

Answer 1

Chemical change, since you mix something with peanuts to create a NEW substance = peanut butter

Answer 2

Peanut butter and red food coloring is a [physical change]. A chemical change is something that changes the properties of the original substance. Chemical changes are usually irreversible and result in a newly formed substance. Examples of chemical changes are the formation of rust and when you are cooking something (such as eggs). Peanut butter and red food coloring does not describe a process, only saying that you have two completely different items. For this reason, I will have to go with physical change. Nothing is newly formed between the two, and they are not being combined together in a form of cooking or another chemical process. Even if the red food coloring was added to the peanut butter, this would still be a physical change because you are only adding something that is harmless or unchanging onto a completely neutral substance, peanut butter. Adding red food coloring normally to the peanut butter is only a physical change because nothing is newly formed or being changed.