Here's the breakdown:
* Physical Change: A change in the form or appearance of a substance, but not its chemical composition. This means the molecules themselves stay the same, even if their arrangement or state of matter changes. Examples include:
* Melting ice (water changes state from solid to liquid)
* Cutting paper (changes shape)
* Dissolving sugar in water (sugar particles disperse but remain as sugar molecules)
* Chemical Change: A change in the chemical composition of a substance. This means new substances are formed with different properties, as the original molecules break apart and rearrange to form new bonds. Examples include:
* Burning wood (wood reacts with oxygen to form ash, carbon dioxide, and other products)
* Rusting iron (iron reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide, or rust)
* Baking a cake (ingredients react chemically to form a new substance)
Key Takeaway: If chemical bonds break and new ones form, it's a chemical change. If the molecules remain the same, it's a physical change.