Breaking of glass is a physical change or chemical change
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The breaking of glass is a physical change.
A physical change refers to a change that does not alter the chemical composition of a substance. It involves changes in physical properties such as shape, size, state, or texture, but the substance itself remains the same at the molecular level. In the case of breaking glass, while its shape and size are altered, the glass itself does not undergo any chemical transformation. The glass still retains its original properties, such as being composed of silica (SiO2) and other materials, even though it is now in smaller pieces.
In contrast, a chemical change would occur if a substance undergoes a transformation where its chemical composition changes. This could involve reactions that create new substances, such as burning wood (which creates ash, smoke, and gases). When you break glass, however, no new substance is formed. The molecules of the glass remain intact, and no bonds are formed or broken at the atomic level that would result in a new compound.
Additionally, physical changes are usually reversible, or at least they don’t result in a permanent change to the substance’s core identity. You could potentially melt or reshape glass into a different form, and the substance would still be considered glass. This flexibility further confirms that breaking glass is a physical change rather than a chemical one.
Thus, the breaking of glass is classified as a physical change because it does not alter the substance’s molecular structure or create any new substances.
