Grade 9 - Chemical Vs Physcial Change?
In science class, I did a lab that required me to put copper metal into a flame (bunsen burner). During the reaction, the flame turned green, and after the reaction, the metal looked exactly the same as it had before I put it into the flame.
Is this a chemical or a physical change?
Please try to state why.
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Copper produces a green flame because the flame causes the electrons to jump up to a higher energy level and then they fall back an exact wavelength or color of light. Generally a color change indicates a chemical change. However, in this case, you still have the copper. It did not burn.
This is a chemical change because even though the metal looked exactly the same, there has to be some kind of change inside the metal, because there is heat involved.