Which term describes a change in matter that produces one or more new substances?

Which term describes a change in matter that produces one or more new substances?

• A. Chemical change
• B. Physical change
• C. Element
• D. Solution

Answer: (A)

A chemical change happens when bonds are broken and formed to create new substances with different properties. This is why the process results in materials that have a different composition and often different behavior—signs like a visible color change, odor, gas production, temperature shift, or a solid precipitate indicate new substances are formed. In contrast, a physical change only alters how matter appears or its state (like melting or bending) without changing the substance's identity, so no new substance is produced. An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means, and a solution is a homogeneous mixture; these describe what the material is, not the change that creates something new.

A chemical change happens when bonds are broken and formed to create new substances with different properties. This is why the process results in materials that have a different composition and often different behavior—signs like a visible color change, odor, gas production, temperature shift, or a solid precipitate indicate new substances are formed. In contrast, a physical change only alters how matter appears or its state (like melting or bending) without changing the substance's identity, so no new substance is produced. An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means, and a solution is a homogeneous mixture; these describe what the material is, not the change that creates something new.