Kinds of changes in matter

In a chemical change, bonds are broken and new bonds are formed between
different atoms. This breaking and forming of bonds takes place when
particles of the original materials collide with one another. Some exothermic
reactions may be hot enough to cause certain chemicals to also undergo a
change in state; for example in the case of aqueous solutions, bubbles may
not necessarily be newly produced gas but instead water vapor.

Chemical changes are happening all the time. There are several different
types of chemical change, including: synthesis, decomposition, single
displacement, double displacement, neutralization, precipitation, combustion,
redox and wood burning.

A primary example chemical change is the combustion of methane to

produce carbon dioxide and water.

Other examples of chemical changes are:

• Mixing an acid with a base, producing water and a salt.

• Photosynthesis - a process in which carbon dioxide and water are
changed into sugars by plants.
• Cracking heavy hydrocarbons to create lighter hydrocarbons (part of
the process of refining oil).
• Cooking examples: popcorn, cake, pancakes, and eggs
• Oxidation examples: rust or tarnishing
• Ripening examples: bananas, tomatoes

The following can indicate that a chemical change took place, although this
evidence is not conclusive:

• Change of odor
• Change of color (for example, silver to reddish-brown when iron
rusts).
• Change in temperature or energy, such as the production (exothermic)
or loss (endothermic) of heat.
• Change of form (for example, burning paper).
• Light, heat, or sound is given off.
• Formation of gases, often appearing as bubbles.
• Formation of precipitate (insoluble particles).
• The decomposition of organic matter (for example, rotting food).
Physical change is a concept introduced to contrast with the concept of
chemical change. A physical change is any change not involving a change in
the substance's chemical identity. Matter undergoes chemical change when
the composition of the substances changes: one or more substances combine
or break up (as in a relationship) to form new substances. Physical changes
occur when objects undergo a change that does not change their chemical
nature. A physical change involves a change in physical properties. Physical
properties can be observed without changing the type of matter. Examples of
physical properties include: texture, shape, size, color, odor, volume, mass,
weight, and density.

An example of a physical change occurs when making a baseball bat. Wood is

carefully crafted into a shape which will allow a batter to best apply force on
the ball. Even though the wood has changed shape and therefore physical
properties, the chemical nature of the wood has not been altered. The bat
and the original piece of wood are still the same chemical substance.

Changes are sometimes hard to categorize strictly as physical or as chemical.

Dissolving a salt in water involves the breaking of chemical bonds, yet is
often described as a physical change. Some teachers hold that a chemical
change is a rearrangement of atoms, but many physical changes also involve
the rearrangement of atoms. Many chemical changes are irreversible, and
many physical changes are reversible, but reversibility is not a certain
criterion for classification. Although chemical changes are often recognized by
an indication such as odor, color change, production of a precipitate, or
production of a gas, every one of these indicators can result from physical
change.

Examples of Physical Changes

• Change of state
• Absorption of water into a towel
• Crumpling a piece of paper
• Pulling out a large gray piece of copper into a thin wire - a change of
shape, but not a change of composition
• Cutting a material such as wood
• Tearing a piece of aluminium foil
• Breaking glass
• Deflating a basketball
• Mixing different solids (such as solid sulfur and iron filings)
• Inflating a volleyball
• Cloud forming in the sky
• Crushing a piece of chalk
• Sharpening a pencil
• Shredding paper
• Peeling a banana
• Cutting an apple
• Making mashed potatoes