Melting: A Physical Property
* Definition: Melting is the process of a solid changing into a liquid due to an increase in temperature.
* Change in Composition: Melting only changes the state of matter (solid to liquid). The chemical composition of the wax remains the same. The wax molecules themselves are still wax molecules.
* Reversibility: Melting is reversible. You can cool the liquid wax back down to a solid.
Flammability: A Chemical Property
* Definition: Flammability describes how easily a substance can ignite and burn.
* Change in Composition: When wax burns, it reacts with oxygen in the air. This chemical reaction produces new substances like carbon dioxide, water, and ash. The original wax molecules are no longer present.
* Irreversibility: Burning is a chemical change that is generally not reversible. The original wax cannot be recovered from the products of combustion.
In Summary:
* Physical properties describe how a substance looks, feels, or behaves without changing its chemical composition.
* Chemical properties describe how a substance reacts with other substances, leading to a change in its chemical composition.
