Question

Is dissolution of copper sulphate in water a chemical change? Justify your answer.

Answer 1

When Copper sulphate is dissolved in water, it simply dissociates into ions of copper and sulphate in the solution. If we will boil this solution, steam will be generated and will escape and we will be left with copper sulphate again and thus this reaction cannot be termed as a chemical change but a physical change only, as the compound copper sulphate is formed again on boiling the solution. This is similar to dissolving sugar or salt in water, which also is a physical change.
Thus, when copper sulphate dissolves in water, a physical change takes place.