Yes, chemical reactions *can* make new substances:
* Rearrangement of Atoms: Chemical reactions involve the breaking and forming of chemical bonds between atoms. This rearrangement of atoms leads to the creation of new molecules with different properties. For example, when you burn wood, the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the wood rearrange to form carbon dioxide, water, and ash – substances with entirely different properties.
However, chemical reactions can also involve:
* Phase Changes: These are physical changes, not chemical changes. Melting ice (solid water) into liquid water or boiling water into steam (gaseous water) does not create new substances. The water molecules remain H₂O.
* Mixing: Mixing substances like sugar and water creates a solution, but the sugar and water molecules themselves remain unchanged.
To summarize:
* Chemical reactions *can* and often *do* form new substances by rearranging atoms.
* Some reactions involving phase changes or mixing do not form new substances.
So, it depends on the specific chemical reaction!
