Question

Classify the following as chemical or physical changes: Dissolving common salt in water.

Answer 1

Physical change :

• A change in which a substance undergoes a change in its physical properties i,e shape, size, color, state, or appearance of the substance change is called a physical change, which is generally reversible in nature.
• In these physical changes, the chemical composition remains intact and no new substance gets formed.

Chemical change :

• A change in which the chemical properties of a substance get altered is called a chemical change.
• The chemical change is also called as a chemical reaction which is generally Irreversible in nature.
• In a chemical change, one or more new substances always get formed during the reaction.

Dissolving common salt in water:

• Dissolving common salt in water is known as an example of a physical change.
• During the process, only the common salt gets dissolved in water to give an aqueous solution of salt, with the formation of no new compound.
• Also, the process can be reversible, as by evaporating the aqueous solution we can get can the common salt back as the original product.

Hence, Dissolving common salt in water is a physical change.