Energy and chemical changes
Physical and Chemical changes
Matters around us undergo changes. These changes can be classified into two types:
1. Physical changes
2. Chemical changes
1. Physical changes
A physical change in a substance is one that affects its physical properties, such as its shape, volume, density, and states. No new substance is formed and the identity of the substance remains the same.
Physical changes are reversible. Examples of physical changes:
1. The change caused by heating and cooling. (Ice being changed to water by melting and back to ice by freezing).
Physical changes that will occur in water as the temperature increases and decreases
Physical Changes that will occur in chocolate after heating and cooling
2. Dissolving solid in water: example.
Sugar can dissolve in water to form sugar solution
3. Crystallization of salt from its saturated solution: example
A solid salt can be obtained from its saturated solution through crystallization.
2. Chemical changes
In chemical change, a new substance is produced. The new substance (called Product) has different chemical properties from the original substance (called reactant). Chemical changes are usually difficult to reverse. That is the product cannot be changed back to the reactant.
Examples of chemical changes include:
1. Burning of paper: when the reactant (paper) is burnt the product (Carbon dioxide) is formed.
2. Rusting of iron
3. Combustion of fuels
4. Photosynthesis:
Examples of physical and chemical changes in daily life
Physical changes and chemical changes occur around us every minute and play an important role in our daily life.
Physical changes Chemical changes
1. Freezing of water to form ice cubes 1. Boiling an egg to get a hardboiled egg.
2. Boiling of water to kill microorganisms 2. Burning of fossil fuel in cars
3. Dissolving sugar or salt in water 3. Respiration in living organisms
4. Melting of wax to form different shapes of candles 4. Decomposition of fallen leaves
5. Melting of chocolate 5. Digestion of food in our body
6. Evaporation of sweat 6. Photosynthesis in green plants
Similarities between physical and chemical changes
1. Substances in both processes undergoes changes
2. Both changes require energy
Differences between physical and chemical changes
Physical Changes Chemical changes
There is no formation of new substances There is formation of new substances
Changes formed are reversible Changes formed are difficult to reverse
Less amount of energy is needed More amount of energy is needed
There is a Change in the physical properties There are changes in both chemical and physical properties.
Heat change in chemical reactions
Chemical reactions involve heat change. Heat energy is either gained or lost during the reaction. In chemical reaction the breaking down of bond in the reactant absorbs energy (endothermic) and the formation of new bonds in the products releases energy (Exothermic). Based on heat change chemical reactions are classified into exothermic and endothermic reactions.
Exothermic reactions
• An exothermic reaction is one that releases heat to the surroundings.
In these reactions, energy needed to break down the old bonds in the reactants is less than the energy released when the new bonds are formed in the products. Therefore there is a net energy loss. The energy released warms up the surroundings causing the temperature of the surrounding to rise.
Examples of exothermic reactions
1. Combustion: this releases heat and light energy to the surrounding
2. Neutralization: This process releases heat, which warm up the solution and causes the temperature of the solution to rise.
3. Reaction between reactive metals and water: Metals react vigorously with water and heat energy is released.
Endothermic reactions
• An endothermic reaction is one that absorbs heat from the surrounding.
In these reactions, the energy needed to break the old bonds in the reactant is greater than the energy released when new bonds are formed in the products. Therefore there is a net energy gain. The temperature of the surroundings falls because the reaction takes up the heat energy from the surrounding.
Examples of endothermic reactions
1. Photosynthesis: this absorbs energy from the surroundings as plants absorb sun light energy.
2. Decomposition by heat: the breaking down of calcium carbonate into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide requires heat.
CaCO3(aq) = CaO(aq) + CO2(g)
Differences between endothermic and exothermic reactions
Exothermic reaction Endothermic reaction
1. Heat loss 1. Heat gain
2. Energy change (ΔH) has a negative value Energy change (ΔH) has a positive value
3. Temperature in the surrounding rises 3. Temperature in the surrounding falls
Industrial chemical reactions
Industrial chemical reaction involves great amount of heat. If the chemical reactions involved are reversible, the temperature of the surroundings will affect both the rate of reaction and the yield of the products.