5 Physical and

Chemical Changes

E
very day you come across many 5.1 PHYSICAL CHANGES
changes in your surroundings.
These changes may involve one Activity 5.1
or more substances. For example, your Cut a piece of paper in four square
mother may ask you to dissolve sugar pieces. Cut each square piece further
in water to make a cold drink. Making a into four square pieces. Lay these pieces
sugar solution is a change. Similarly, on the floor or a table so that the pieces
setting curd from milk is a change. acquire the shape of the original piece
Sometimes milk becomes sour. Souring of paper (Fig. 5.1).
of milk is a change. Stretched rubber Obviously, you cannot join the pieces
band also represents a change. back to make the original piece, but is
Make a list of ten changes you have there a change in the property of the
noticed around you. paper?
In this chapter we shall perform some
activities and study the nature of these
Activity 5.2
changes. Broadly, these changes are of Collect the chalk dust lying on the floor
two kinds, physical and chemical. near the chalkboard in your classroom.
Or, crush a small piece of chalk into
dust. Add a little water to the dust to
make a paste. Roll it into the shape of a
piece of chalk. Let it dry.
Did you recover chalk from the
dust?

Activity 5.3
Take some ice in a glass or plastic
tumbler. Melt a small portion of ice by
placing the tumbler in the sun. You have
now a mixture of ice and water. Now
place the tumbler in a freezing mixture
(ice plus common salt).
Does the water become solid ice once
Fig. 5.1 Paper pieces again?

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Activity 5.4 5.3 and 5.4, water changed its state (from
solid to liquid, or from gas to liquid). In
Boil some water in a container. Do you
Activity 5.5, the hack-saw blade
see the steam rising from the surface of
changed colour on heating.
water? Hold an inverted pan by its
Properties such as shape, size, colour
handle over the steam at some distance
and state of a substance are called its
from the boiling water. Observe the
physical properties. A change in which
inner surface of the pan.
a substance undergoes a change in its
Do you see any droplet of water
physical properties is called a physical
there?
change. A physical change is generally
Activity 5.5 reversible. In such a change no new
CAUTION substance is formed.
Let us now consider the other kind
Be careful while handling a flame.
of change.
Hold a used hack-saw blade with a
pair of tongs. Keep the tip of the free 5.2 CHEMICAL CHANGE
end of the blade on the gas stove. Wait A change with which you are quite
for a few minutes. familiar is the rusting of iron. If you
Does the colour of the tip of the blade leave a piece of iron in the open for some
change? time, it acquires a film of brownish
Remove the blade from the flame. substance. This substance is called rust
Observe the tip once again after some and the process is called rusting
time. (Fig. 5.2). Iron gates of parks or
Does it get back its original colour? farmlands, iron benches kept in lawns
In Activities 5.1 and 5.2 above, you and gardens, almost every article of iron,
saw that paper and a piece of chalk kept in the open gets rusted. At home
underwent changes in size. In Activities you must have seen shovels and spades
getting rusted when exposed to the

Fig. 5.2 Rusting iron

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atmosphere for some time. In the light (Fig. 5.3). When it is completely
kitchen, a wet iron pan (tawa) often gets burnt it leaves behind a powdery ash.
rusted if left in that state for some time. Does the ash look like the
Rust is not iron. It is different from iron magnesium ribbon?
on which it gets deposited. The change can be represented by
Let us consider a few more changes the following equation:
where new substances are formed. Magnesium (Mg) + Oxygen (O2) 
Magnesium oxide (MgO)
Activity 5.6
(To be demonstrated by the teacher)
The equations here are different from
CAUTION
those in mathematics. In equations
It is dangerous to look for long at the of this kind, the arrow implies
burning magnesium ribbon. The ‘becomes’. No attempt should be made
teachers should advise children not to balance chemical equations at this
to stare at the burning ribbon. stage.

Get a small piece of a thin strip or

Collect the ash and mix it with a
ribbon of magnesium. Clean its tip with
small amount of water. Stir the mixture
sandpaper. Bring the tip near a candle
(aqueous solution) well. Test the mixture
flame. It burns with a brilliant white
with blue and red litmus papers.
Does the mixture turn red litmus
blue?
Does the mixture turn blue litmus
red?
On the basis of this test, how do you
classify the aqueous solution — acidic
or basic?
On dissolving the ash in water it
forms a new substance. This change can
be written in the form of the following
equation:
Magnesium oxide (MgO) + Water
(H2O) Magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)2]
As you have already learnt in
Chapter 4, magnesium hydroxide is a base.
So, magnesium oxide is a new substance
formed on burning of magnesium.
Fig. 5.3 Magnesium ribbon burning Magnesium hydroxide is another new

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substance formed by mixing magnesium colour of the solution from blue to
oxide with water. green is due to the formation of iron
sulphate, a new substance. The brown
Activity 5.7
deposit on the iron nail is copper,
(To be demonstrated by the teacher) another new substance. We can write
Dissolve about a teaspoonful of copper the reaction as:
sulphate (blue vitriol or neela thotha) in Copper sulphate solution (blue) + Iron
about half a cup of water in a glass  Iron sulphate solution (green)
tumbler or a beaker. Add a few drops of + Copper (brown deposit)
dilute sulphuric acid to the solution.
You should get a blue coloured solution.
Activity 5.8
Save a small sample of the solution in a Take about a teaspoonful of vinegar in
test tube or a small glass bottle. Drop a a test tube. Add a pinch of baking soda
nail or a used shaving blade into the to it. You would hear a hissing sound
remaining solution. Wait for half an and see bubbles of a gas coming out.
hour or so. Observe the colour of the Pass this gas through freshly prepared
solution. Compare it with the colour of lime water as shown in Fig. 5.5.
the sample solution saved separately What happens to the lime water?
(Fig. 5.4).

Iron sulphate (greenish)

Copper sulphate
(blue)

Fig. 5.4 Change in colour of the copper sulphate

solution due to reaction with iron

Do you see any change in the colour The change in the test tube is as
of the solution? follows:
Take out the nail or the blade. Vinegar (Acetic acid) + Baking soda
Has it changed in any way? (Sodium hydrogencarbonate) 
The changes that you notice are Carbon dioxide + other substances
due to a reaction between copper The reaction between carbon dioxide
sulphate and iron. The change of and lime water is as follows:

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 A change in which one or more
new substances are formed is called a
chemical change. A chemical change
is also called a chemical reaction.
Carbon
dioxide Chemical changes are very important
in our lives. All new substances are
formed as a result of chemical changes.
Vinegar +
Baking soda
For example, digestion of food in our
body, ripening of fruits, fermentation of
Lime grapes, etc., happen due to series of
water chemical changes. A medicine is the end
product of a chain of chemical reactions.
Useful new materials, such as plastics
Fig. 5.5 Set up to pass gas through lime water
and detergents, are produced by
chemical reactions. Indeed, every new
Carbon dioxide (CO2) + Lime water
material is discovered by studying
[Ca(OH) 2 ]  Calcium Carbonate
chemical changes.
(CaCO3) + Water (H2O)
We have seen that one or more new
When carbon dioxide is passed
substances are produced in a chemical
through lime water, calcium carbonate
change. In addition to new products,
is formed, which makes lime water milky.
the following may accompany a chemical
The turning of lime water into milky is a
change:
standard test of carbon dioxide. You will
 Heat, light or any other radiation
use it in Chapter 6 to show that the air
(ultraviolet, for example) may be given
we breathe out is rich in carbon dioxide.
off or absorbed.
In Activities 5.6–5.8, you saw that
 Sound may be produced.
in each change one or more new
 A change in smell may take place or
substances were formed. In Activity 5.6,
the ash was the new substance formed a new smell may be given off.
when magnesium was burnt in air. In  A colour change may take place .

Activity 5.7, the reaction of copper  A gas may be formed.

sulphate with iron produced iron Let us look at some examples.
sulphate and copper. Both of these are You saw that burning of magnesium
new substances. Copper was deposited ribbon is a chemical change. Burning
on the shaving blade of iron. In Activity of coal, wood or leaves is also a chemical
5.8, vinegar and baking soda together change. In fact, burning of any
produced carbon dioxide, which turned substance is a chemical change.
lime water milky. Can you name the new Burning is always accompanied by
substance formed in this reaction? production of heat.

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 Explosion of a firework is a chemical
change. You know that such an
explosion produces heat, light, sound
We learnt in Chapter 1 that
and unpleasant gases that pollute the
plants produce their food by
atmosphere. That is why you are advised
a process called photosynthesis.
not to play with fireworks.
Can we call photosynthesis
When food gets spoiled, it produces
a chemical change?
a foul smell. Shall we call this change a
chemical change?
Paheli said that even digestion
You must have noticed that a slice of
is a chemical change.
an apple acquires a brown colour if it is
not consumed immediately. If you have
not seen this change in colour, cut a
fresh slice of apple and keep it away for
5.3 RUSTING OF IRON
some time. Repeat the same activity with
a slice of potato or brinjal. The change Let us get back to rusting. This is one
of colour in these cases is due to the change that affects iron articles and
formation of new substances. Are not slowly destroys them. Since iron is used
these changes chemical changes? in making bridges, ships, cars, truck
In Chapter 4, you neutralised an acid bodies and many other articles, the
with a base. Is neutralisation a chemical monetary loss due to rusting is huge.
change? The process of rusting can be
represented by the following equation:
Iron (Fe) + Oxygen (O2, from the air)
A protective shield + water (H2O) rust (iron oxide Fe2O3)
For rusting, the presence of both
You must have heard of the ozone layer
oxygen and water (or water vapour)
in our atmosphere. It protects us from
is essential.
the harmful ultraviolet radiation which
In fact, if the content of moisture in
come from the sun. Ozone absorbs this
air is high, which means if it is more
radiation and breaks down to oxygen.
humid, rusting becomes faster.
Oxygen is different from ozone. Can
So, how do we prevent rusting?
we call the breaking down of ozone a
Prevent iron articles from coming in
chemical change?
contact with oxygen, or water, or both.
If ultraviolet radiation were not
One simple way is to apply a coat of
absorbed by ozone, it would reach the
paint or grease. In fact, these coats
earth’s surface and cause harm to us
should be applied regularly to prevent
and other life forms. Ozone acts as a
rusting. Another way is to deposit a layer
natural shield against this radiation.
of a metal like chromium or zinc on iron.

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 formed from their solutions. The process
is called crystallisation. It is an
Oh, that is why my friend
example of a physical change.
Rita is always complaining
about iron articles rusting so Activity 5.9
fast. She lives near the coast. (To be performed in the presence of
the teacher)
This process of depositing a layer of zinc
on iron is called galvanisation. The iron CAUTION
pipes we use in our homes to carry water Use only dilute sulphuric acid. Be
are galvanised to prevent rusting. careful while boiling water.
You know that ships are made of iron
and a part of them remains under water. Take a cupful of water in a beaker
On the part above water also, water and add a few drops of dilute sulphuric
drops keep clinging to the ship’s outer acid. Heat the water. When it starts
surface. Moreover, the water of the sea boiling add copper sulphate powder
contains many salts. The salt water slowly while stirring continuously
makes the process of rust formation (Fig. 5.6). Continue adding copper
faster. Therefore, ships suffer a lot of sulphate powder till no more powder can
damage from rusting in spite of being be dissolved. Filter the solution. Allow
it to cool. Do not disturb the solution
Stainless steel is made by mixing iron when it is cooling. Look at the solution
with carbon and metals like after some time. Can you see the crystals
chromium, nickel and manganese. It of copper sulphate? If not, wait for some
does not rust. more time.

painted. So much so, that a fraction of Copper sulphate

ship’s iron has to be replaced every year.

Can you imagine the monetary loss to
the world?
5.4 CRYSTALLISATION
In Class VI you have learnt that salt can
be obtained by the evaporation of sea
water. The salt obtained in this manner
is not pure and the shape of its crystals
Crystals
cannot be seen clearly. However, large
crystals of pure substances can be Fig. 5.6 Crystals of copper sulphate

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 You have learnt about physical and changes that you observe around you
chemical changes. Try to identify as physical or chemical changes.

Keywords
Chemical change Crystallisation Physical change
Chemical reaction Galvanisation Rusting

What you have learnt

 Changes can be of two types, physical and chemical.
 Physical changes are changes in the physical properties of substances.
No new substances are formed in these changes. These changes may
be reversible.
 In chemical changes new substances are produced.
 Some substances can be obtained in pure state from their solutions by
crystallisation.

Exercises
1. Classify the changes involved in the following processes as physical or
chemical changes:
(a) Photosynthesis
(b) Dissolving sugar in water
(c) Burning of coal
(d) Melting of wax
(e) Beating aluminium to make aluminium foil
(f ) Digestion of food
2. State whether the following statements are true or false. In case a
statement is false, write the corrected statement in your notebook.
(a) Cutting a log of wood into pieces is a chemical change. (True/False)
(b) Formation of manure from leaves is a physical change. (True/False)

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 (c) Iron pipes coated with zinc do not get rusted easily. (True/False)
(d) Iron and rust are the same substances. (True/False)
(e) Condensation of steam is not a chemical change. (True/False)
3. Fill in the blanks in the following statements:
(a) When carbon dioxide is passed through lime water, it turns milky
due to the formation of _________.
(b) The chemical name of baking soda is _________.
(c) Two methods by which rusting of iron can be prevented are
_________ and _________.
(d) Changes in which only _________ properties of a substance change
are called physical changes.
(e) Changes in which new substances are formed are called _________
changes.
4. When baking soda is mixed with lemon juice, bubbles are formed with
the evolution of a gas. What type of change is it? Explain.
5. When a candle burns, both physical and chemical changes take place.
Identify these changes. Give another example of a familiar process in
which both the chemical and physical changes take place.
6. How would you show that setting of curd is a chemical change?
7. Explain why burning of wood and cutting it into small pieces are
considered as two different types of changes.
8. Describe how crystals of copper sulphate are prepared.
9. Explain how painting of an iron gate prevents it from rusting.
10. Explain why rusting of iron objects is faster in coastal areas than in
deserts.
11. The gas we use in the kitchen is called liquified petroleum gas (LPG). In
the cylinder it exist as a liquid. When it comes out from the cylinder it
becomes a gas (Change – A) then it burns (Change – B). The following
statements pertain to these changes. Choose the correct one.
(i) Process – A is a chemical change.
(ii) Process – B is a chemical change.
(iii) Both processes A and B are chemical changes.
(iv) None of these processes is a chemical change.
12. Anaerobic bacteria digest animal waste and produce biogas (Change – A).
The biogas is then burnt as fuel (Change – B). The following
statements pertain to these changes. Choose the correct one.
(i) Process – A is a chemical change.
(ii) Process – B is a chemical change.

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 (iii) Both processes A and B are chemical changes.
(iv) None of these processes is a chemical change.

Extended Learning — Activities and Projects

1. Describe two changes that are harmful. Explain why you consider them
harmful. How can you prevent them?
2. Take three glass bottles with wide mouths. Label them A, B and C. Fill
about half of bottle A with ordinary tap water. Fill bottle B with water
which has been boiled for several minutes, to the same level as in A. In
bottle C, take the same boiled water and of the same amount as in other
bottles. In each bottle put a few similar iron nails so that they are com-
pletely under water. Add a teaspoonful of cooking oil to the water in
bottle C so that it forms a film on its surface. Put the bottles away for a
few days. Take out nails from each bottle and observe them. Explain
your observations.
3. Prepare crystals of alum.
4. Collect information about the types of fuels used for cooking in your
area. Discuss with your teachers/parents/others which fuels are less
polluting and why.

Did you know?

Near the Qutub Minar in Delhi
stands an iron pillar (Fig. 5.7)
which is more than 7 metres
high. It weighs more than 6000 kg.
It was built more than 1600 years
ago. After such a long period it has
not rusted. For its quality of rust
resistance it has been examined
by scientists from all parts of the
world. It tells something about the
advances India had made in
metal technology as back as
1600 years ago.

Fig. 5.7 Iron pillar

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