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Quizzes > Science

Physical vs Chemical Change Quiz: Spot the Physical Change

Quick, free physical and chemical change quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Adrian AlayUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration depicting chemistry quiz elements molecules test tubes state changes on golden yellow background.

This physical vs chemical change quiz helps you decide if a change is physical or a chemical reaction, using clear signs and examples. Build confidence for class, then extend with our changes in matter quiz and classifying physical and chemical changes, or compare traits with the physical vs chemical properties quiz.

Which of the following best defines a physical change?
Combination of two substances to form a new compound.
Formation of new substances with different chemical properties.
Alteration in state or appearance without change in chemical composition.
Release of energy due to nuclear reactions.
A physical change involves a change in the form or state of a substance without altering its chemical identity. No new substances are formed and molecular bonds remain intact. Examples include melting, freezing, and crushing. For more detail, see .
Which scenario is an example of a chemical change?
Dissolving sugar in water.
Melting ice.
Crushing limestone.
Burning wood.
Burning wood is a chemical change because it transforms wood into ash, carbon dioxide, and water vapor, producing new substances. Reactants and products have different chemical compositions and energy is released as heat and light. Physical changes like melting or dissolving do not form new substances. Learn more at .
Which property typically remains constant during a physical change?
Color intensity.
Temperature of the surroundings.
Chemical composition of the substance.
Shape of individual particles.
In a physical change, the chemical composition stays the same while physical properties such as shape, size, or state may change. The molecules themselves are unaltered. Temperature or color changes can occur but they don't indicate new substances. See for further explanation.
Which of these is a physical change?
Boiling water.
Rusting iron.
Burning coal.
Digesting food.
Boiling water is a physical change because it changes from liquid to gas without altering the water molecules. Burning coal, digesting food, and rusting iron all involve chemical reactions that produce new substances. Physical changes are generally reversible. More detail at .
What type of change occurs when ice melts?
Electrical change.
Nuclear change.
Chemical change.
Physical change.
Melting ice is a physical change because it only involves a change in state from solid to liquid, with no new substance formed. The molecular structure of H?O remains the same throughout. Energy is absorbed to overcome intermolecular forces, but chemical bonds are unchanged. Read more on .
Which example does NOT represent a chemical change?
Evaporating alcohol.
Cooking an egg.
Rusting of iron.
Burning paper.
Evaporating alcohol is a physical change because the liquid turns to vapor without altering its chemical structure. The other options involve new substances being formed through chemical reactions. Physical changes are generally reversible by changing temperature or pressure. Further reading at .
Cutting a piece of paper into smaller pieces is classified as what type of change?
Chemical change.
Thermal change.
Physical change.
Nuclear change.
Cutting paper is a physical change because it alters the shape and size but does not change the paper's chemical identity. The molecules remain the same before and after. Physical changes do not produce new substances. See for examples.
Which of the following is a reversible physical change?
Mixing oil and water.
Burning wood.
Baking a cake.
Dissolving salt in water.
Dissolving salt in water is generally reversible by evaporating the water, leaving the salt behind. Burning wood and baking a cake produce new substances and are irreversible chemical changes. Mixing oil and water is a physical process but typically separated by decanting or filtering. Learn more at .
Which indication is most characteristic of a chemical change?
Change in shape.
Change in pressure.
Evolution of gas (bubbles forming).
Change in state.
Formation of gas bubbles often signals a chemical reaction producing a new substance. While state changes, shape changes, or pressure shifts can be physical, gas evolution implies rearrangement of atoms into gaseous products. This is a classic test for chemical change. For more, see .
During a chemical reaction, what occurs at the molecular level?
Chemical bonds break and new bonds form.
Molecules emit light only.
Temperature always increases.
Molecules only change phase.
Chemical reactions involve breaking existing bonds and forming new ones, resulting in different substances. Phase changes do not alter bonds, and temperature change is a consequence, not a definition. Emission of light can occur but is not universal. See bond theory at .
Electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases is an example of what type of change?
Mechanical change.
Physical change.
Nuclear change.
Chemical change.
Electrolysis splits water molecules (H?O) into hydrogen and oxygen, forming new substances. It involves breaking chemical bonds using electrical energy. Physical changes do not alter molecular identity. More at .
Sublimation, the transition from solid to gas, is classified as which kind of change?
Nuclear change.
Ionic change.
Chemical change.
Physical change.
Sublimation is a phase change where solid particles gain enough energy to enter the gas phase without becoming liquid first. No chemical bonds are broken or formed, so the molecular composition remains constant. See more at .
Which description correctly identifies an endothermic physical process?
Combustion of gasoline.
Freezing water.
Melting ice.
Condensation of steam.
Melting ice is endothermic because it absorbs heat from the surroundings to break intermolecular forces. Freezing and condensation release heat (exothermic). Combustion is a chemical reaction that releases energy. Learn more about endothermic processes at .
Which of these processes involves primarily a physical change?
Rust formation on iron.
Evaporation of water.
Combustion of gasoline.
Polymerization of ethylene.
Evaporation is a phase change where liquid water becomes vapor, with no new substances formed. Polymerization, rusting, and combustion are chemical changes that create new compounds. More on evaporation at .
The formation of a precipitate when two solutions are mixed indicates what type of change?
Chemical change.
Physical change.
Mechanical change.
Nuclear change.
Precipitate formation involves creating a new solid substance from reactants in solution, signaling a chemical reaction. It cannot be reversed by simple physical means. This is a common test for chemical change in qualitative analysis. See .
Which statement about deposition illustrates a physical change?
Solid decomposing into simpler substances.
Direct transition from vapor to solid without liquid phase.
Solid turning into liquid at melting point.
Gas converting due to chemical reaction.
Deposition is the direct phase change from gas to solid, a physical change because no chemical bonds are broken or formed. The substance's chemical identity remains the same. It is the reverse of sublimation. Details at .
The reaction Zn + 2HCl ? ZnCl2 + H2 is classified as:
Physical change.
Nuclear change.
Chemical change.
Isomerization.
This reaction produces new chemical species (zinc chloride and hydrogen gas) by breaking and forming bonds. Reactants and products differ in composition and properties. It is a classic example of a single-replacement chemical reaction. See .
Heating calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide and carbon dioxide gas represents what kind of change?
Nuclear change.
Physical change.
Elastic change.
Chemical change.
Thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate breaks it down into calcium oxide and CO? gas, forming new substances. Chemical bonds are broken and rearranged. This is an irreversible chemical change. More detail at .
Which of the following physical changes is irreversible?
Magnetizing iron.
Breaking glass.
Dissolving sugar.
Melting ice.
Breaking glass is a physical change that cannot be easily reversed to restore the original object. Although it doesn't alter chemical composition, its form is irretrievably changed. Other physical changes like melting or dissolving are generally reversible. Read about reversibility at .
In a chemical reaction, conservation of mass implies:
Mass is lost during reaction.
Mass is gained during reaction.
Total mass of reactants equals total mass of products.
Mass transforms entirely into energy.
The law of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. The total mass of all reactants equals the total mass of all products. It holds true in closed systems under normal conditions. More at .
Crystallization from a solution is considered which type of change?
Physical change.
Chemical change.
Nuclear change.
Explosive change.
Crystallization involves the formation of a solid crystalline structure from a homogeneous solution. The chemical composition of the solute remains unchanged, so it is a physical process. This method is often used to purify compounds. See .
Which scenario involves both physical and chemical changes?
Tearing paper only.
Dissolving salt in water.
Burning and melting wax.
Melting ice only.
When wax burns, it undergoes a chemical change producing smoke and new compounds. Simultaneously, the residual wax may melt, a physical change. This combination illustrates how multiple change types can occur together. More insight at .
During a phase change, the enthalpy change (?H) is best described as:
?H is always zero because no bonds are formed or broken.
?H only applies to chemical reactions, not physical processes.
?H indicates bond breaking and formation at the molecular level.
?H corresponds to heat absorbed or released without changing chemical composition.
Phase changes absorb or release heat (enthalpy) but do not alter chemical bonds or composition. The enthalpy change corresponds to energy required to overcome intermolecular forces. ?H is nonzero for melting, vaporization, etc. For advanced details, see .
Spectroscopic analysis can distinguish between physical and chemical changes by detecting:
Alterations in chemical bond energy and structure.
Variations in mass without compositional change.
Macroscopic temperature differences only.
Changes in nuclear spin orientation only.
Spectroscopic techniques (IR, NMR, UV-Vis) detect changes in bond energies and molecular structure, indicating chemical transformations. Physical changes do not alter bond vibrational or rotational signatures. Thus, new peaks or shifts confirm chemical change at the molecular level. Learn more at .
Which advanced technique provides molecular-level evidence of a chemical reaction rather than a physical change?
Viscosity measurement.
Infrared spectroscopy.
Calorimetry.
Refractive index.
Infrared spectroscopy identifies functional group changes by measuring bond vibrational frequencies, revealing new chemical bonds. Calorimetry measures heat but cannot specify molecular identity. Viscosity and refractive index are physical properties. Detailed info at .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Distinguish Chemical and Physical Changes -

    Learn to differentiate between chemical reactions and physical state shifts by recognizing their defining characteristics.

  2. Identify Real-World Examples -

    Use examples of physical change and chemical change from the quiz to strengthen your grasp of everyday transformations.

  3. Analyze Reaction vs State Shift Scenarios -

    Evaluate chemical change identification quiz cases to determine whether a process involves bond breaking or a mere state alteration.

  4. Apply Concepts to Everyday Phenomena -

    Leverage insights from the physical change vs chemical change test to explain common observations in cooking, weather, and manufacturing.

  5. Reinforce Key Science Principles -

    Solidify your understanding of essential chemistry concepts through our scored science change quiz format, ensuring long-term retention.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Fundamental Definitions -

    In a chemical vs physical change quiz, you must differentiate between processes that rearrange atomic bonds (chemical changes) and those that alter only the state or shape of a substance (physical changes). For example, melting ice (solid to liquid) doesn't form new substances, whereas rusting iron (4Fe + 3O2 → 2Fe2O3) creates a novel compound (UCLA Chemistry Dept.).

  2. Energy Profiles and Reversibility -

    When tackling a physical change vs chemical change test, remember that physical changes usually involve modest energy shifts and are often reversible (e.g., freezing/melting water), while chemical reactions absorb or release significant heat and tend to be irreversible. Mnemonic "REBR" (Reversible Energy, Bonds Reorganized) helps recall these distinctions (American Chemical Society).

  3. Observable Indicators -

    On a chemical change identification quiz, look for gas evolution, unexpected color shifts, precipitate formation, or temperature changes as telltale signs of chemical reactions. Mixing baking soda and vinegar to produce CO2 bubbles is a classic example demonstrating these clues (Khan Academy).

  4. Balancing and Mass Conservation -

    Both change types obey the law of conservation of mass, but chemical changes require balanced equations to track atom counts. Practicing balances like 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O reinforces that reactants and products maintain identical total mass (Chemguide).

  5. Everyday Examples & Memory Aids -

    For examples of physical change quiz prep, contrast tearing paper (physical) with burning paper (chemical) to anchor concepts in daily life. Ask "Are molecular bonds broken or formed?" - no bond change means physical, bond formation or breakage signals chemical. This quick check boosts confidence during any science change quiz.

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