Difference Between Physical Change and Chemical Change
What is Physical Change?
Physical changes are the changes that affect the form of a chemical substance but not its chemical composition. The use of physical change is to disperse the mixture into their component compounds, but they cannot normally be used for the parting of compounds into simpler compounds or chemical elements.
In simple words, the kind of change where matter changes into other form without changing its chemical properties is known as physical change.
The properties like shape, size, state, density, solubility, luster, mass, volume and color of a substance are called its physical properties. The change in which a substance modifies its physical properties called physical change- For example; Crystallization.
Whenever substances or objects undergoes a chemical change, which does not alter their chemical composition, a physical change occurs.
The physical change only changes the substance’s appearance, not it’s chemical composition. A physical change means variations in physical properties. Physical change example, change of strength, color, melting, change of durability, volume, density, transaction to a gas, shape, size, textural change, change to crystal form.
What is Chemical Change?
When one chemical substance is changed into another substance, like when iron becomes rust, then this process is known as chemical change. Chemical changes are not simple to reverse or irreversible; therefore, it is said as a permanent change. Such changes lead to changes in physical and chemical properties, such as temperature, color, shape, taste, melting point, boiling point etc.
Through the process of chemical reactions, chemical changes occur. As a result, the substance has distinct properties because its atoms and molecules are differently arranged.
Example of Chemical Change
- Baking a cake
- Burning a candle
- Sourcing milk
- Rusting iron
- Mixing acid with base
Difference Between Physical Change and Chemical Change
| S.No | Physical Change | Chemical Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | When a substance undergoes a physical change, then despite its molecules being rearranged, its composition remains the same. | When a substance undergoes a chemical variation, then the molecular structure of the substance is changed completely. Chemical changes, therefore, involve the creation of new substances. |
| 2. | The physical change is a temporary change. | The chemical change is a permanent change. |
| 3. | The physical change only affects physical properties such as size, shape, etc. | The chemical change affects both physical as well as chemical properties with its composition. |
| 4. | A physical change comprises the absorption of very little energy. | The absorption and evolution of energy occur during a chemical reaction. |
| 5. | Examples of Physical change; boiling of water, freezing of water, melting of the wax. | Examples of chemical change; burning of coal, food digestion, etc. |
| 6. | In the case of physical change, new substance is formed. | In the case of chemical change, a new substances are always formed. |
| 7. | Usually, there is no production of energy in a physical change. | The production of energy that can be in the form of light, sound, heat, etc., usually involves a chemical change. |
| 8. | Physical changes are readily reversible, and there is no chance to recuperate the original substance. | Chemical changes are irreversible, and there is a chance to recuperate the original substance. |