QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
Explain the following statement:
"Dissolving sugar in water is a physical change, but heating sugar to form caramel is a chemical change."
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Answer
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Step 1I'll solve this problem by explaining the key differences between physical and chemical changes using the example of sugar.
Step 2: Define Physical Change
- The sugar (sucrose, $$C_{12}H_{22}O_{11}$$) maintains its original molecular structure
A physical change is a transformation that alters the physical properties of a substance without changing its chemical composition. In the case of dissolving sugar in water: - Only the physical state changes (from solid to dissolved) - No new chemical bonds are formed - The sugar can be recovered by evaporating the water - Properties like chemical identity remain unchanged
Final Answer
Dissolving sugar in water is a physical change because the sugar molecules remain chemically unchanged, while heating sugar to caramel is a chemical change because the molecular structure is fundamentally transformed, creating new chemical compounds.
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