Skip to main content
Chemistry LibreTexts

What happened here?

  • Page ID
    185555
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    Matter can be changed physically or chemically. Identifying these changes is important to the study of weathering and erosion. 

     

    icg_physchemchangeposter_57530747ddaa0.jpg

    Used with permission from tes.com

    In each example below, guess whether the change was physical (mechanical) or chemical. 

    Qobustan-salt_575302ef4d267.jpg

    1

    Weathering_freeze_thaw_action_iceland_5753055b6bf9b.jpg

    2

    E0F68E6C-155D-9421-1FDAF3A7159D2AEC_575303a019905.jpg

    3

    Ice_wedge_iceland_575305c66581b.jpg

    4

    download_5753043f1ab76.jpg

    5

    Skulptur_aus_Sandstein_Dresden_2012-09-06-0555_575306438a50e.jpg

    6

     

    Check your answers:

    1 - chemical - Weathering of sandstone caused by salt. 

    2 - physical - Due to temperature changes. This kind of weathering is called Thermal Stress. 

    3 - chemical - A rusted fire hydrant. Rust is caused by oxidation.

    4 - physical - Cracked rock due to ice wedging. Water freezes and forces the rock to break. 

    5 - chemical - Lichen on rock. 

    6 - chemical - due to acid rain. 

     


    What happened here? is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

    • Was this article helpful?