Question

Classify the following change as physical or chemical:

Digestion of food.

Answer 1

Chemical change:

• A chemical change is a permanent change in which new substances are formed.
• The chemical change is permanent and cannot be reversed by a simple physical method.
• A chemical change involves an exchange of energy in the form of heat or light.
• For example, rusting of iron, burning of wood, respiration, digestion of food. etc.
• During the digestion of food, food undergoes many chemical changes. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, etc. break down into simpler molecules that have entirely different chemical structures.

Therefore, the digestion of food is a chemical change.