Melting ice is a physical change while creating the compound, water (H2O), is chemical. Why?
Melting ice is a physical change because it involves a change in the state or phase of a substance (from solid to liquid) without altering its chemical composition. Ice is made up of water molecules held together by intermolecular forces, and when heat is applied, it provides enough energy for those forces to break and allow the molecules to move freely, resulting in the formation of liquid water.
Creating the compound water (H2O) from its elements, hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O), is a chemical change because it involves a rearrangement of atoms, leading to the formation of new chemical bonds. The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, commonly known as combustion or burning, results in the production of water molecules with entirely different properties and characteristics compared to the individual elements.
Melting ice is considered a physical change because it involves a change in the physical state of the substance, from a solid to a liquid, without altering the chemical composition of the material. The composition of ice (H2O) remains the same during the melting process.
On the other hand, creating water (H2O) through a chemical reaction is considered a chemical change. It involves the combination of two elements, hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O), to form a new substance with different properties. The chemical bonds between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms are rearranged to form water molecules during this process. Therefore, a chemical change occurs when water is created.
Melting ice is considered a physical change because it involves a change in the physical state of the substance without altering its chemical composition. When ice melts, it changes from a solid state to a liquid state, but the water molecules remain the same. The hydrogen and oxygen atoms that make up the water molecules remain unchanged during this process.
On the other hand, creating the compound water (H2O) is considered a chemical change because it involves a chemical reaction. Water is formed when two hydrogen atoms (H) combine with one oxygen atom (O) through a chemical bond formation process. This chemical reaction changes the arrangement of atoms and results in the formation of a new substance with different properties.
To determine whether a change is chemical or physical, we consider whether there is a change in the chemical composition of the substance. If the substance remains the same at a molecular level, it is a physical change. If there is a rearrangement of atoms and the formation of new substances, it is a chemical change.