* Chemical properties describe how a substance reacts with other substances or changes its composition.
* Physical properties can be observed without changing the substance's chemical composition.
Carbon's resistance to decomposition means it doesn't easily break down into simpler substances through chemical reactions. This is an intrinsic characteristic of carbon, not something we observe without changing it.
Here's a simple way to think about it:
* Physical Property: You can crush a piece of carbon into a powder. This changes its form but not its chemical makeup.
* Chemical Property: Carbon doesn't readily burn in air (unlike wood). This involves a chemical reaction where carbon combines with oxygen, changing its composition.
Therefore, carbon's resistance to decomposition is a chemical property because it describes how it reacts or doesn't react in chemical processes.
