The Power of Positive Change in Science

How can we distinguish between physical and chemical changes in science?

1. Teena saw that the volume of perfume in her bottle has become less after a few days. Probably, the perfume had evaporated. Is the evaporation of perfume a physical or a chemical change?

Answer:

The evaporation of perfume is a physical change, not a chemical one.

Many times in the world of science, we encounter changes in matter that can be categorized as physical or chemical. When it comes to the evaporation of a substance like perfume, it falls under the category of a physical change.

A physical change is one where the form of matter is altered, but the substance itself does not transform into a new substance. In the case of perfume evaporating from a bottle, the perfume changes from a liquid state to a gaseous state. However, the perfume molecules remain the same throughout this process.

On the other hand, a chemical change involves the substance undergoing a chemical reaction, resulting in the formation of a new substance. This is not the case with the evaporation of perfume, as it is simply changing states from liquid to gas without any alteration in its chemical composition.