Question

A glass bottle falls on a hard floor and shatters into pieces. Is it physical or a chemical change?

Answer 1

Changes of matter can be classified as physical and chemical changes

Physical changes

• Changes which involve only physical properties like colour, appearance etc.
• There will not be any change in composition after physical change.
• Examples: Boiling of water, melting of ice

Chemical changes

• Changes which involve only chemical properties.
• There will be changes in the nature of bond also.
• Chemical change can involve the release of heat, energy etc.
• Examples: Ripening of fruit, rusting of iron

So, when glass bottle falls on a hard floor and shatters into pieces is a physical change since it involves only change in appearance, not in chemical nature or composition.