Chemical Reaction Chemistry Example 4

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

Example 4

easy
A student heats sugar until it turns brown and gives off a new smell. Is this a chemical reaction or just a physical change? Explain.

Solution

  1. 1
    This is a chemical reaction because new substances are forming, shown by the color change and new smell.
  2. 2
    In a purely physical change, the substance might change state or shape, but it would still be the same substance afterward.

Answer

It is a chemical reaction because new substances are formed.
Chemical reactions produce new substances with new properties. Evidence such as color change, gas production, smell change, or temperature change often indicates a chemical change rather than a physical one.

About Chemical Reaction

A process in which one or more substances (reactants) are transformed into entirely different substances (products) through the breaking and forming of chemical bonds, accompanied.

Learn more about Chemical Reaction →

More Chemical Reaction Examples

Example 1 easy

Identify the reactants and products in the following reaction: [formula].

Example 2 medium

List four signs that a chemical reaction has occurred, and give an example of each.

Example 3 easy

Is dissolving sugar in water a chemical reaction? Explain.

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