1.
Is tearing a piece of paper into 100 pieces a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
A. Physical change
Explanation
Tearing a piece of paper into smaller pieces is a physical change because the paper's chemical composition remains the same. The paper is simply divided into smaller portions, but no new substances are formed. Physical changes typically involve changes in the form or appearance of a substance without altering its chemical structure.
2.
Is burning a piece of paper a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change because it involves a combustion reaction. The heat causes the paper to react with oxygen, resulting in the formation of new substances like ash, smoke, and gases. This process alters the chemical composition of the paper, making it a chemical change.
3.
Is it a physical change or a chemical change when a reaction occurs, and the product is different from the starting material?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
When a reaction occurs and results in products that are different from the original substances, it is a chemical change. In this case, new substances with different chemical properties are formed, which indicates a change in the molecular structure, characteristic of chemical changes. Physical changes, by contrast, do not alter the chemical makeup of the materials involved.
4.
Is hammering a nail into a piece of wood a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
A. Physical change
Explanation
Hammering a nail into a piece of wood is a physical change because the chemical composition of both the nail and the wood remains unchanged. The only alteration is in the position and shape of the nail, which is a physical change that does not affect the underlying substances.
5.
Is letting a nail rust a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
Rusting of a nail is a chemical change because it involves a chemical reaction between the iron in the nail and oxygen in the air, forming iron oxide or rust. This reaction results in the creation of a new substance, indicating a chemical change rather than just a change in form or appearance.
6.
Is combining two clear liquids that turn cloudy white a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
When two clear liquids are mixed and a cloudy white substance is formed, it indicates a chemical change. This occurs because a chemical reaction has taken place, producing a new substance, commonly known as a precipitate. The change in appearance signifies that the original substances have undergone a transformation at the molecular level, creating new compounds.
7.
Is mixing a yellow liquid and a blue liquid that turns green a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
The mixing of yellow and blue liquids that results in a green liquid is a chemical change because it involves a chemical reaction. The change in color indicates that the molecules of the liquids have reacted and rearranged to form new substances with different properties, such as a new compound with distinct colors.
8.
Is cutting an apple in half a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
A. Physical change
Explanation
Cutting an apple in half is a physical change because it only alters the size and shape of the apple without changing its chemical composition. The apple remains the same substance chemically, with no new materials created. Physical changes typically involve changes in appearance or form, not in chemical identity.
9.
Is letting a cut apple sit out and turn brown a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
When a cut apple turns brown, it undergoes a chemical change. This happens because the oxygen in the air reacts with enzymes in the apple, causing the production of melanin, a brown pigment. The process involves a chemical reaction that alters the chemical composition of the apple’s surface, indicating a chemical change.
10.
Is the formation of gas bubbles a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
The formation of gas bubbles is a sign of a chemical change. Gas bubbles are typically released when a substance undergoes a chemical reaction, such as during the production of a gas. This reaction changes the chemical composition of the materials involved, which is characteristic of a chemical change, unlike a physical change where only the appearance is altered.
11.
Is freezing water into ice a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
A. Physical change
Explanation
Freezing water into ice is a physical change because it only involves a change in the state of matter from liquid to solid. The molecular structure of water remains unchanged, as the H2O molecules are still intact. The freezing process does not create any new substance but simply slows down the movement of water molecules, causing them to form a solid structure. This transformation is reversible, meaning that the ice can melt back into liquid water, further confirming that it is a physical change rather than a chemical one.
12.
Is baking a cake in the oven a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
Baking a cake is a chemical change because it involves chemical reactions that alter the ingredients at a molecular level. The heat from the oven causes the proteins in the flour and eggs to denature, while baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients, producing carbon dioxide. These reactions result in new substances with different properties, such as texture, flavor, and color, compared to the raw ingredients. The process is irreversible, as the chemical makeup of the ingredients has been fundamentally altered, making it a chemical change.
13.
Is dissolving sugar in water a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
A. Physical change
Explanation
Dissolving sugar in water is a physical change because it does not result in the formation of new substances. When sugar dissolves, the sugar molecules disperse throughout the water, but they retain their chemical composition. This process is reversible, as evaporating the water would leave the sugar behind. The individual sugar molecules are still intact, only separated and spread out within the water. This change in the physical state of sugar does not alter its molecular structure, indicating that it is a physical change, not a chemical one.
14.
Is the rusting of iron a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
B. Chemical change
Explanation
Rusting of iron is a chemical change because it involves a reaction between iron and oxygen, resulting in the formation of a new substance, iron oxide (rust). During this process, the iron atoms chemically bond with oxygen from the air, altering the iron's chemical composition. The rusted iron has different properties, such as color, texture, and strength, from the original iron, making it an irreversible transformation. This reaction cannot be undone simply by physical means, confirming that rusting is a chemical change.
15.
Is crushing a can a physical change or a chemical change?
Correct Answer
A. Physical change
Explanation
Crushing a can is a physical change because it only alters the shape and size of the can without changing its chemical composition. The metal of the can remains the same, and no new substances are formed. Crushing the can does not break any of the metal’s atomic bonds or molecules; it merely deforms the object. This change is reversible, as the can can potentially be reshaped back into its original form without changing the material itself. Therefore, crushing a can is classified as a physical change rather than a chemical one.