Physical and Chemical Properties Lab Reports

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Physical and Chemical Properties Introduction A good understanding of material things requires an understanding of the physical and chemical characteristics of matter. Such characteristics are familiar to you, and physical and chemical changes are part of your everyday experience. However, you may not yet have a clear idea of the difference between a physical change and a chemical change. You may not yet know exactly how a chemical change is distinguished from a physical change. The purpose of this experiment is to clarify these important distinctions. The physical properties of a substance are those properties that can be observed and measured without changing the composition of the substance. Physical properties include odor, color, density, solubility, boiling point, and melting point. Because they depend on there being no change in composition, physical properties can be used to describe and identify substances. A colorless, odorless liquid that freezes at 0°C is probably water, for example. The chemical properties of a substance are those properties that can only be observed when the substance is undergoing a change in composition. The fact that hydrogen peroxide decomposes to give oxygen gas and water is an example of a chemical property. In a physical change, only the temperature, size, or physical state of a sample of matter is altered. The melting of ice and the evaporation of gasoline are examples of physical changes. In chemical changes, new substances, of different chemical composition, are produced. Examples of chemical change are the rusting of iron and the burning of wood. Readily observable phenomena frequently accompany chemical changes and are often telltale signs that such changes are taking place. These indicative phenomena include the evolution of gas, the production of a color change, the formation of a solid, and the evolution of

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