which substance cannot be decomposed by a chemical change?
carbon dioxide,
methane,
carbon monoxide, or
carbon
Elements can not be decomposed (and remain as the element). C is the only element listed; all of the other are compounds and can be decomposed into elements.
Thank you!
Carbon cannot be decomposed by a chemical change.
To determine which substance cannot be decomposed by a chemical change, we need to understand the nature of these substances. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon (C) are all compounds made up of different elements.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is composed of carbon and oxygen. It can be decomposed into its constituent elements, carbon (C) and oxygen (O2), through a chemical change like electrolysis.
Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon made up of carbon and hydrogen. It can also be decomposed into its constituent elements, carbon (C) and hydrogen (H2), through a chemical change like combustion.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is comprised of carbon and oxygen. Although it can be oxidized to form carbon dioxide (CO2) through a chemical change, it can also be reduced back to its constituent elements, carbon (C) and oxygen (O2), through reduction reactions.
Carbon (C) is an element and cannot be decomposed into simpler substances through a chemical change. It is a fundamental building block for many compounds but cannot be broken down further by any chemical means.
Therefore, the substance that cannot be decomposed by a chemical change is carbon (C).