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Physical changes impact a substance’s shape and not its chemical content. Physical changes can be employed to separate mixtures into component compounds but not to separate compounds into chemical constituents or smaller molecules.
When things or substances experience a change that does not alter their chemical composition, this is a physical change. This contrasts with chemical change, which occurs when the makeup of material changes or when one or more compounds mix or break apart to generate new substances. A physical alteration can be reversed through physical methods.
Characteristics of physical change
No formation of an unknown substance
is one of the characteristics of physical change, which says that if the substance is changed from one form to another, for example, water to ice, then no new substance is forming.
Though the state changes from liquid to solid, the molecules in the water will be the same even in the solid form from the liquid.
Reversible change
Let’s discuss other characteristics of physical change, reversible change. By the name itself, we can understand that a state of a substance is changed to another, then it can be reversible.
For example, ice is in solid form when the ice is heated; then it will turn into water in its original condition. In the same way, if water is heated, it will turn into water vapor, and if the vapor is Coolen, it will again turn into its original state, water.
Change in Color, Shape, Size, and State.
The physical qualities include its form, size, color, and condition. A physical change can be reversed. There is no new material generated as a result of such a transition.
The modifications were brought about by folding the paper, applying paint on the wall, molding metals, etc.
No energy in liberated
This characteristic of physical change says that the change in the substance’s shape without any release of energy such as a change in heat, light, sound, etc.
The chemical property of a substance remains the same.
The transformation of ice from a solid to a liquid state is a physical change. In this case, the condition is altered, but the chemical makeup remains unchanged. Paper origami transforms simply the form of the paper, not its chemical characteristics.
Let’s look at a few examples and find out which physical change is: –
- Burning
b—melting of ice
c—folding a paper
- Rusting
Difference between physical and chemical change
There are several differences between physical and chemical changes that must be understood to grasp these ideas fully. The following comparisons and differences between physical and chemical changes are provided with examples.
It is necessary to comprehend the characteristics of physics change and chemical change to understand them better. The differences between physical and chemical changes are presented in a tabular fashion in this article.
Physical Change | Chemical Change |
A physical change is a change in a substance’s physical attributes instead of its chemical properties. They are frequently reversible. Shape, color, flexibility, density, etc., are all physical attributes of a substance. | Chemical changes occur when one material interacts with another to generate a new substance, called chemical synthesis or chemical breakdown into two or more different chemicals. These processes are known as chemical reactions, and they are generally irreversible until reversed by other chemical reactions. |
When a sequential process makes a physical change, its makeup stays unchanged despite the rearranging of its molecules. | A substance’s molecular makeup changes completely when it experiences a chemical transformation. As a result, chemical changes result in the production of new compounds. |
Physical transformation is just transient. | A chemical alteration is irreversible. |
A physical change requires less amount of energy absorption. | Absorption and evolution of energy occur during a chemical process. |
A physical alteration solely impacts physical attributes such as shape, size, etc. | Chemical alteration of the substance’s physical and chemical characteristics and its makeup |
Physical changes generally do not entail energy generation. | Chemical changes are frequently associated with the age of animation. |
A physical change does not give rise to the development of a new substance. | A chemical shift is always followed by the appearance of one or more new substances. |
Physical change is easy to reverse, meaning the original material may be regained. | Chemical reactions are irreversible, which means that the original material cannot be restored. |
Physical changes include the freezing of water, the melting of ice, the boiling of water, and so on. | Some examples of chemical change are food digestion, burning of coal, corrosion, etc. |
Conclusion
A physical change affects the physical qualities of the material, whereas a chemical change affects the chemical properties of the substance. A physical change does not result in the production of new substances, whereas chemical change results in the formation of new substances. Physical changes in nature are typically reversible, but chemical changes are mostly irreversible.
