Physical and Chemical changes

Differences between Physical changes and chemical changes

S.No Physical Change Chemical change

1 It is a temporary change It is a permanent change
2 It is generally reversible It is irreversible
3 No change in the composition at There is a change in the
the molecular level composition at the molecular
level
4 No new substance is formed New substances are formed
5 Examples Examples
i. Melting of ice cream i. Burning of wax
ii. Boiling of water ii. Rusting of iron
iii. Melting of candle iii. Ripening of fruit
iv. Stretching of rubber iv. Germination of seed
band v. Cooking of food
v. Bursting of balloon vi. Change of milk to
curd

Symbols meaning: ∆ - Heat energy

- Gaseous substance is given out/liberated

- Insoluble substance settles down – precipitate

Characteristics of chemical reaction

1. Evolution of gas:
a. When hydrochloric acid is added to calcium carbonate, carbon dioxide gas is evolved.

CaCO3 + 2 HCl CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O

b. When zinc is added to sulphuric acid, hydrogen gas is evolved

Zn + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2

2. Change of Colour:

a. When green coloured copper carbonate is heated, a black residue of copper carbonate is formed.

CuCO3 CuO + CO2

b. When whiten crystals of lead nitrate is heated, brown coloured nitrogen dioxide gas is evolved.

2 Pb(NO3)2 2 PbO + 4 NO2 + O2

3. Formation of precipitate:

When a solution of Iron(III)chloride is added to ammonium hydroxide, a brown precipitate of

iron(III)hydroxide is formed.

FeCl3 + 3 NH4OH Fe(OH)3 + 3 NH4Cl

AgNO3 + NaCl AgCl + NaNO3

4. Changes in energy:
Heat is given out – Exothermic reaction

a. When water is added to quick lime, water becomes hot and slaked lime is formed.

CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2 + Heat energy

Heat energy is absorbed – Endothermic reactions

N2 + O2 Heat energy, ∆ 2NO

5. Change of state

When hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen gas, water which is in liquid state is formed.

2 H2(g) + O2(g) 2 H2O(l)

Types of chemical reaction:

1. Combination reaction:

When two or more small substance combine to form a big substance, it is called combination reaction.

a. C + O2 CO2
b. S + O2 SO2
c. 2Mg + O2 2 MgO
d. H2 + Cl2 2 HCl
e. CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2

2. Decomposition reaction
When a big substance is broken into two or more smaller substances by heat energy, light energy,
electrical energy etc, it is called decomposition reaction.
a. 2 Pb(NO3)2 Heat energy, ∆ 2 PbO + 4 NO2 + O2

b. 2 AgCl Light energy 2 Ag + Cl2

c. 2 H2O Electricity 2H2 + O2

3. Single displacement

When a reactive metal displaces the low reactive metals from its solution, it is called single displacement
reaction.

a. When a black coloured iron object is added to blue coloured copper sulphate solution, brown
coloured copper comes out of the solution.

Fe + CuSO4 FeSO4 + Cu

4. Double displacement reaction (Precipitation reaction)

When barium chloride reacts with sodium sulphate solution, a white precipitate of Barium sulphate is
formed.

Na2SO4 + BaCl2 BaSO4 + 2NaCl

5. Oxidation:
It is either addition of oxygen or removal of hydrogen

a. C + O2 CO2
b. H2S + Cl2 S + 2HCl

6. Reduction
It is either removal of oxygen or addition of hydrogen

a. CuO + H2 Cu + H2O
b. H2 + Cl2 2 HCl