Melting ice is a physical change because it involves a change in the state of matter from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water) without changing the chemical composition of the substance. The molecules in ice remain the same even after it melts, only their arrangement and movement change. This means that the ice can be reverted back to its solid form by cooling the liquid water. This is different from a chemical change, where the substance undergoes a chemical reaction and its chemical composition is altered permanently.
