Question

Compare and contrast physical and chemical changes in matter. Give an example of each type of change.

Answer 1

Physical Change: A physical change in a substance does not change what the substance is.

An example of this would be water freezing. The water looks and feels different, but it is still water, and it's chemical formula still remains H2O.


Chemical Change: A chemical change is when there is a chemical reaction and a new substance is formed because of that. The composition of the substance changes, and there is usually energy being released or absorbed.

An example of this would be burning wood. In this case, oxygen is reacting with the wood to produce ash, energy, and smoke.