* Chemical Change: Involves the formation of new substances with different chemical properties.
* Physical Change: Only alters the appearance or physical state of a substance, not its chemical composition.
What Happens When Potassium Chlorate is Heated:
When potassium chlorate (KClO3) is heated, it decomposes into potassium chloride (KCl) and oxygen gas (O2):
2KClO3(s) → 2KCl(s) + 3O2(g)
* New substances are formed: Potassium chloride (KCl) and oxygen gas (O2) have different chemical properties than potassium chlorate (KClO3).
* Chemical bonds are broken and formed: The chemical bonds within potassium chlorate are broken, and new bonds are formed to create potassium chloride and oxygen.
Therefore, the heating of potassium chlorate results in a chemical change due to the formation of new substances and the breaking and forming of chemical bonds.