Project Number: 2023-1-PL01-KA220-SCH-000164042
UNIT 12: Physical and Chemical Changes
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Introduction
In this activity, you will explore and discuss the differences between physical and chemical changes at the microscopic level.
Source: canva.com
Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to explain the difference between physical and chemical changes at the microscopic level.
- Students will be able to discuss examples of physical and chemical changes using particle-level representations.
- Students will be able to distinguish between processes that involve rearrangement of particles (physical change) and those that involve formation of new substances (chemical change).
Source: canva.com
Introduction to Physical and Chemical changes Physical change and chemical change are two fundamental concepts that help us make sense of events in our environment and profoundly influence our interactions with the world. Both physical and chemical changes play a role in transforming raw materials into useful products. Observing how these changes occur in everyday life is essential for understanding the behavior and interactions of substances, as well as for shaping the products that result from controlling these processes. This understanding enables us to live in a more comfortable, more conscious, and more sustainable way. Let’s take a closer look at physical and chemical changes.
Source: canva.com
Physical Change Physical changes are changes that affect only the external appearance of a substance without altering its internal structure. In other words, when a substance undergoes a physical change, its identity remains the same. The substance before and after the change is still the same substance. During a physical change, new substances (new molecules or particles) are not formed. Only the properties of the substance—such as color, shape, size, or the arrangement of particles—may change. Some physical changes are reversible, meaning the substance can return to its original state. Examples of physical changes include:
- State changes (melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation)
- Dissolution (e.g., sugar or salt dissolving in water)
- Breaking or tearing (e.g., glass breaking, paper tearing)
- Mechanical changes (e.g., wood turning into sawdust)
Source: canva.com
Chemical Change Chemical changes are changes that affect the internal structure of a substance. As a result of a chemical change, the identity of the substance is altered, and a new substance with its own unique properties is formed.Because the original substance is transformed, it cannot be easily recycled or returned to its original state. During a chemical change, observable signs often include:
- Color change
- Gas release
- Emission of heat or light
Examples of chemical changes include:
Source: canva.com
Understanding Physical and Chemical Changes But what actually happens during physical and chemical changes? What does it mean for a substance to change its internal structure? Let’s explore this with an example. Learning Activity Those of you with a sweet tooth know that sugar can be transformed into caramel. When heated, the sugar first melts into a liquid. As heating continues, it changes color, darkens, and eventually becomes caramel. In this activity, we will use an augmented reality (AR) environment to observe the behavior of sugar particles as they are heated. This allows students to see how particle interactions change during the transition from solid sugar to caramel.
1. How do the particles of sugar behave when it melts?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. What happens if we continue heating the melted sugar? Write down your observations:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. Do you think melting sugar and then turning it into caramel is a physical change or a chemical change? Write your predictions:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
UNIT 12: Physical and Chemical Changes
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Transcript
Project Number: 2023-1-PL01-KA220-SCH-000164042
UNIT 12: Physical and Chemical Changes
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Introduction
In this activity, you will explore and discuss the differences between physical and chemical changes at the microscopic level.
Source: canva.com
Learning Outcomes
Source: canva.com
Introduction to Physical and Chemical changes Physical change and chemical change are two fundamental concepts that help us make sense of events in our environment and profoundly influence our interactions with the world. Both physical and chemical changes play a role in transforming raw materials into useful products. Observing how these changes occur in everyday life is essential for understanding the behavior and interactions of substances, as well as for shaping the products that result from controlling these processes. This understanding enables us to live in a more comfortable, more conscious, and more sustainable way. Let’s take a closer look at physical and chemical changes.
Source: canva.com
Physical Change Physical changes are changes that affect only the external appearance of a substance without altering its internal structure. In other words, when a substance undergoes a physical change, its identity remains the same. The substance before and after the change is still the same substance. During a physical change, new substances (new molecules or particles) are not formed. Only the properties of the substance—such as color, shape, size, or the arrangement of particles—may change. Some physical changes are reversible, meaning the substance can return to its original state. Examples of physical changes include:
Source: canva.com
Chemical Change Chemical changes are changes that affect the internal structure of a substance. As a result of a chemical change, the identity of the substance is altered, and a new substance with its own unique properties is formed.Because the original substance is transformed, it cannot be easily recycled or returned to its original state. During a chemical change, observable signs often include:
- Color change
- Gas release
- Emission of heat or light
Examples of chemical changes include:Source: canva.com
Understanding Physical and Chemical Changes But what actually happens during physical and chemical changes? What does it mean for a substance to change its internal structure? Let’s explore this with an example. Learning Activity Those of you with a sweet tooth know that sugar can be transformed into caramel. When heated, the sugar first melts into a liquid. As heating continues, it changes color, darkens, and eventually becomes caramel. In this activity, we will use an augmented reality (AR) environment to observe the behavior of sugar particles as they are heated. This allows students to see how particle interactions change during the transition from solid sugar to caramel.
1. How do the particles of sugar behave when it melts?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. What happens if we continue heating the melted sugar? Write down your observations:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. Do you think melting sugar and then turning it into caramel is a physical change or a chemical change? Write your predictions:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………