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Difficulty: EasyChemical Reactions and Compounds

When solid baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is mixed with liquid vinegar (acetic acid), vigorous bubbling occurs as carbon dioxide gas is released. Which of the following statements correctly classifies and explains this transformation?

  1. A
    It is a physical change because the vinegar underwent rapid boiling caused by mixing.
  2. It is a chemical change because bonds are broken and rearranged to form new substances with different properties.Answer
  3. C
    It is a physical change because dissolving a solid into a liquid only separates molecules without creating new substances.
  4. D
    It is a physical change because the solid baking soda simply melted into a liquid state upon contact with the vinegar.

Answer

It is a chemical change because bonds are broken and rearranged to form new substances with different properties.
The reaction between baking soda and vinegar is a chemical change because the original substances react to form entirely new compounds (carbon dioxide gas, water, and dissolved sodium acetate) with properties distinct from the starting materials.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the observed interaction and identify products.
Mixing sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3\text{NaHCO}_3) and acetic acid (HC2H3O2\text{HC}_2\text{H}_3\text{O}_2) generates carbon dioxide gas (CO2\text{CO}_2), water (H2O\text{H}_2\text{O}), and sodium acetate (NaC2H3O2\text{NaC}_2\text{H}_3\text{O}_2).
The production of a new gas and temperature change serve as clear evidence of a chemical transformation.
2
Classify the type of change based on chemical identity.
The process is classified as a chemical change rather than a physical change.
In a chemical change, atoms are rearranged and chemical bonds are broken and formed, creating entirely new chemical substances with distinct chemical and physical properties.

Key Concept

Chemical vs. Physical Changes
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Chemical Reactions and Compounds

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