Physical and chemical changes

DIFFERENCES

PHYSICAL CHANGES CHEMICAL CHANGES

1. No new substances formed (DEFINITION) New substances formed (DEFINITION)
2. Usually less energy involved Usually more energy involved
3. Usually easy to reverse Usually difficult to reverse

Examples of physical changes are ALL PHASES CHANGES. E.g. melting

There are 2 types of chemical changes, ……EXOTHERMIC… and ENDOTHERMIC…… .

ENDOTHERMIC REACTIONS require energy throughout the reaction whereas EXOTHERMIC
REACTIONS give out energy during the reaction.
Some EXOTHERMIC REACTIONS require a little energy to start the reaction after
which energy is given out. This energy is called activation energy.

REACTION 1: Heating mercuric oxide (mercury oxide)

Mercury ring

Mercuric oxide

heat

Mercuric oxide is a bright ORANGE coloured powder.

When heated it first turns BLACK
This is a PHYSICAL change because after the reaction, any BLACK powder left turns to
ORANGE mercuric oxide again.
We then see a SILVER coloured LIQUID forming on the cooler parts of the test tube. This LIQUID
RING is mercury.
OXYGEN. gas is given off and this can be tested by putting a GLOWING SPLINT in the mouth of
the test tube and it RELIGHTS

WORD EQUATION: MERCURY OXIDE  MERCURY + OXYGEN

NB Check the 3 points above to show that the reaction above is a chemical change which is
endothermic.
REACTION 2.: Heating copper carbonate

Copper carbonate is a GREEN powder. When heated it turns BLACK.

This BLACK substance is COPPER OXIDE
A gas is given off which can be bubbled through A SOLUTION OF LIMEWATER and it turns
MILKY.
This shows that the gas is CARBON DIOXIDE

WORD EQUATION:
COPPER CARBONATE  COPPER OXIDE + CARBON DIOXIDE
This is an ENDOthermic chemical reaction.

REACTION 3. Heating ammonium carbonate.

When ammonium carbonate is heated, there is a strong smell of AMMONIA

Carbon dioxide is also given off and this can be proved by BUBBLING IT THROUGH LIME
WATER AND IT TURN IT MILKY
While the ammonium carbonate is being heated, WATER forms on the cooler parts of the test tube.
After a while nothing is left in the test tube.

WORD EQUATION:
AMMONIUM CARBONATE  AMMONIA + WATER + CARBON DIOXIDE

This is an ENDOthermic chemical reaction.

REACTION 4: Electrolysis of copper(II)chloride solution.

Copper(II)chloride consists of BLUEcrystals. We dissolve it in water in a beaker and it will form a …

GREEN solution. We put 2 graphite (carbon) electrodes into the solution and connect each electrode
to the respective positive and negative terminals of a battery.
DIAGRAM

GRAPHITE ELECTRODE

GRAPHITE ELECTRODE

COPPER CHLORIDE SOLUTION

When current flows, COPPER is formed on the NEGATIVE electrode and bubbles of YELL-GREEN
CHLORINE gas are given off from the POSITIVE electrode.
This gas smells like SMIMMING POOL WATER
This reaction is an ENDOTHERMIC chemical reaction because ELECTRICAL energy is taken in
during the chemical reaction.

WORD EQUATION
COPPER CHLORIDE  COPPER + CHLORINE

REACTION 5. The electrolysis of water.

We use the following apparatus.

We pass an electric current through a DILUTE solution of SULPHURIC

…………ACID in water.
Bubbles of gas come from both electrodes.
OXYGEN is formed at the positive electrode and HYDROGEN is formed at
the negative electrode.
The volume of the hydrogen is DOUBLE that of the oxygen.
This is an ENDOTHERMIC chemical reaction.
WORD EQUATION

WATER  HYDROGEN + OXYGEN

TEST FOR OXYGEN:

Fill a tube with oxygen and lower a glowing wooden splint into it. If it is oxygen it will relight the
splint.

TEST FOR HYDROGEN

Fill a tube with hydrogen and bring a flame to the mouth of the tube. If it explodes with a pop then it
is hydrogen

TEST FOR CARBON DIOXIDE

Bubble the gas through a solution of limewater. If the solution turns milky then the gas is carbon
dioxide

TEST FOR WATER

Put the liquid to be tested on some blue COBALT CHLORIDE paper. If it turns pink then the liquid
contained water,

Note: you only know it is pure water if it boils at 100oC at sea level.