Grade 6 · Science · Lesson 10

Physical vs Chemical Changes

Matter changes around you every day. Ice melts, paper burns, sugar dissolves, iron rusts, and a cake bakes. All of these are changes — but they are not the same KIND of change. Some changes only alter how matter LOOKS while keeping the same substance underneath. Other changes actually create a new substance with new properties. Learning to tell the two apart is one of the most useful skills in chemistry.

What this lesson teaches

1Define a physical change as one where the substance stays the same
2Define a chemical change as one where a new substance forms
3Identify the five common signs that point to a chemical change
4Sort everyday examples into physical or chemical changes

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