Physical changes Examples

A physical change is any change in matter that involves the substance going from one physical state to another. The reference to a physical state involves solids, liquids, and gases. When a substance undergoes a physical change it does not lose its original properties when changing from one phase to another. The types of physical changes can vary. A substance can go from a solid to a liquid, a liquid to a gas, a gas to a liquid, a liquid to a solid, a solid to a gas, or a gas to a solid.

1. Ice melting involves a change from a solid to a liquid and the substances maintain the properties of water because the molecules never change.

2. Water boiling is a physical change as water molecules vibrate faster, they enter the gas phase and become water vapor.

3. Rubbing alcohol left uncovered will evaporate quickly into the air. It turns to a gas but maintains the properties of alcohol.

4. Hot molten iron is a liquid and when left to cool will from solid steel and can take many forms.

5. Dissolving sugar in water is a physical change. The solid sugar never loses its properties, the molecules become separated by water and the sugar can easily be recovered by evaporating the water.