facebook
1%
Processing, please wait...
It was processed successfully!
It was processed successfully!
Login Create Free Account
Create Free Account
language

Physical Change Definition

A physical change involves no new substance. For example, boiling water changes state but remains water.

View Lesson on Chemical vs. Physical Changes
Grades 3-5 VideoChemical vs. Physical Changes player orange
Preview Only
Oops! It looks like your security settings are blocking this video 🙁

If you are on a school computer or network, ask your tech person to whitelist these URLs:
*.wistia.com, fast.wistia.com, fast.wistia.net, embedwistia-a.akamaihd.net

Sometimes a simple refresh solves this issue. If you need further help, contact us.

 

Chemical vs. Physical Changes

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Combining milk and cereal for breakfast is a physical change.
  • Mixing Mentos with soda is a physical change because no new substance is made.
  • It is usually easy to reverse a physical change, like dissolving sugar in water then evaporating the water to leave the sugar crystals behind.

Why Do We Need To Know About Physical Change

Learning about physical changes helps us know why different materials act the way they do and why changing them is important for lots of jobs. For example, knowing how a metal like Gallium can melt and solidify without turning into a different substance helps in making things from everyday items to high-tech gadgets.

This knowledge isn’t just for scientists but for everyone. When you whip egg whites to make them fluffy for cooking, that’s a physical change. Also, in things like cleaning water or designing eco-friendly projects, using physical changes is key. Understanding physical changes is useful for many reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when Zoe stirs the very hot water with the spoon made from Gallium metal? What kind of change happens?
When Zoe stirs the hot water with the Gallium spoon, the metal melts. This is an example of a physical change because the Gallium changed forms, but it didn’t change into a new substance (it is still Gallium).
What kind of change happens when Dr. Jeff puts the gummy candy into a tube containing oxidizer? Why?
When Dr. Jeff drops the gummy candy into the tube containing oxidizer, the gummy candy bursts into flames producing smoke and carbon (new substances). Therefore, this is a chemical change.
What method did the team use to test what type of gas was produced in the reaction between the Mentos and soda?
Dr. Jeff, Izzy and Zoe used a balloon to collect some of the gas produced when soda and Mentos were combined. They then tested this gas to determine its properties. They concluded that it was carbon dioxide by observing that it extinguished candles.
Explore More Science Topics
Image play Four Seasons and Day Length
Image play Chemical vs. Physical Changes
Image play Bacteria & Viruses
Image play Who is Dr. Jeff?
Image play Patterns in the Sky
Image play Variation of Traits
Image play Multicellular Organisms
Image play Introduction to Sound
Image play Balanced & Unbalanced Forces
Image play Atoms & Molecules
Image play What is Engineering?
Image play Weathering & Erosion
Image play Tectonic Plates
Image play The Five Senses
Image play Structure of Living Things
Image play Solar & Lunar Eclipses
Image play Introduction to Weather
Image play Water Cycle (3-5 Version)
Image play Chemical Reactions
Image play Simple Machines
Image play Properties of Matter
Image play Natural Selection
Image play Oceans, Lakes and Rivers
Image play Earth’s Orbit & Rotation
Image play Electricity & Circuits
Image play Living vs. Non-Living Things
Image play Fossils & Extinction
Image play Electromagnetic Spectrum
Image play Heating and Cooling
Image play Energy Transfer
Image play Plant & Animal Cells
Image play Inspired by Nature (Biomimicry)
Image play Sun and Other Stars
Image play Causes of Seasons
Image play Introduction to Light
Image play Brain Processing of Senses
Image play Symbiosis (Interactions Between Organisms)
Image play Pollination and Seed Dispersal
Image play Adaptations and the Environment
Image play Electric & Magnetic Fields
Image play Material Properties and Purposes
Image play Collisions
Image play Classification of Living Things
Image play Gravity Pulls Things Down
Image play Magnets & Static Electricity
Image play Gravitational Forces Between Objects
Image play Pushes and Pulls
Image play Food Webs
Image play Synthetic Materials
Image play Introduction to Traits
Image play Conservation of Matter
Image play Competition in Ecosystems
Image play Plant Growth Conditions
Image play Ecosystems
Image play Wave Reflection, Absorption & Transmittance
Image play Animals Help Their Babies Survive
Image play Patterns of Motion & Friction
Image play Comparative Anatomy
Image play Solids, Liquids and Gases
Image play Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources
Image play Engineering Design Process
Image play Plants Need Water And Light
Image play Human Body Systems
Image play What is Science? (6-8 Version)
Image play Biodiversity of Life on Earth
Image play Natural Disasters
Image play Intro to Thermal Energy
Image play Sunlight Warms the Earth
Image play Extreme Weather Solutions
Image play Food Webs: Cycling of Matter & Flow of Energy
Image play Habitats
Image play How Do We Use Food
Image play Properties of Elements
Image play Parts of a Plant
Image play Wave Properties
Image play Water Cycle (6-8 Version)
Image play Communication Over Distances
Image play Moon & Its Phases
Image play Potential vs. Kinetic Energy
Image play Maps of Landforms
Image play Interactions of Earth’s Spheres
Image play Reproduction of Living Things
Image play What Is Science? (K-2 Version)
Image play Light Reflection & Vision
Image play Genes & Mutations
Image play Classification of Materials
Image play Particle Nature of Matter
Image play The Solar System
Image play Natural Resources
Image play Weather vs. Climate
Image play Photosynthesis & Respiration
Image play Changing the Shape of Land
Image play Animal Group Behavior
Image play Rocks & Minerals (Including Rock Cycle)
Image play Reducing Our Impact on Earth
Image play Information Transfer
Image play Rock Layers (Geologic Time)
Image play External Animal Parts
Image play Earth’s Landscapes
Image play Heat: Transfer of Thermal Energy
Image play Living Things Change Their Environment
Image play Animal & Plant Life Cycles
Image play Biotechnology
Image play Timescale of Earth’s Events
Image play Water Quality & Distribution
Image play Maintaining Biodiversity
Image play Animals Need Food
Image play What Is Science? (3-5 Version)
Image play Predicting Natural Disasters
Image play Digital vs. Analog Signals
Image play Newton’s Laws of Motion
Image play Climate Zones & Ocean Currents
Image play Air Masses & Weather Fronts
Image play Intro to Climate Change
Image play Natural Resource Distribution
Image play Human Impacts on the Environment
Image play The Fossil Record
Image play How To Be A Scientist (College & Careers)

Related Topics

×
X
Success
We’ve sent you an email with instructions how to reset your password.
Ok
x
Choose Your Free Trial Period
3 Days

3 days to access to all of our teaching resources for free.

Continue to Lessons
30 Days

Get 30 days free by inviting other teachers to try it too.

Share with Teachers
Get 30 Days Free
By inviting 4 other teachers to try it too.
4 required

*only school emails accepted.

Skip, I will use a 3 day free trial

Thank You!

Enjoy your free 30 days trial

We use cookies to make your experience with this site better. By using this site you agree to our use of cookies. Click "Decline" to delete and block any non-essential cookies for this site on this specific property, device, and browser. Please read our privacy policy for more information on the cookies we use.Learn More

We use cookies to improve your experience. By using this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Click "Decline" to block non-essential cookies. See our privacy policy for details.Learn More