Determine whether a chemical reaction has occurred - Middle School Physical Science

Card 1 of 170

0
Didn't Know
Knew It
0
1 of 2019 left
Question

Heating Zinc Chloride to its melting point of 290 °C and watching it turn to a liquid is an example of:

Tap to reveal answer

Answer

In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form new molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then relink and form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are created when paper burns. Also, once a paper burns you can't get the original piece of paper back. When something can't go back to the original state (or object) this likely means a chemical change has occurred.

In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same. A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, ice melting is a physical change. Ice and water are made of the same thing: water. You can also re-freeze melted water back to ice. When something can go back to the original state (or object) this likely means a physical change has occurred.

The answer is "a physical change" because the chemical composition of Zinc Chloride does not change as its melting.

← Didn't Know|Knew It →