Free Printable Physical and Chemical Properties and Changes Worksheets - Free Printable

Let’s work through this step by step.

We are given two scenarios:
1. Steam evaporating from water.
2. Bananas are ripening.

For each, we need to check whether certain signs (like color change, bubbles, heat, etc.) are present — and then decide if it’s a physical or chemical change.

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First, let’s recall:

- Physical change: The substance stays the same — only its form changes (like melting ice → still water). No new substance is made.
- Chemical change: A new substance is formed (like burning wood → ash and smoke). Often comes with clues like color change, smell, heat, bubbles, light, etc.

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Scenario 1: Steam evaporating from water

This is just water turning into gas (steam). It’s still H₂O — no new substance.

Let’s go row by row:

- Shape Change? → Water doesn’t really have a fixed shape anyway, but steam spreads out. Not really a “shape change” in the solid/liquid sense. Let’s say No.
- Color Change? → Water and steam are both clear/colorless. No.
- Formation of Bubbles? → When water boils and turns to steam, you see bubbles. But note: these are just pockets of steam — not a gas produced by a reaction. Still, visually, bubbles form. So maybe Yes, but it’s physical.
- Odor Produced? → Steam has no smell. No.
- Heat Produced? → Actually, heat is *added* to make steam, not produced by the change itself. The process absorbs heat. So No (heat isn’t being released as a product).
- Size Change? → Steam takes up more space than liquid water. So yes, volume increases. Yes.
- State Change? → Yes! Liquid → gas. That’s the whole point. Yes.
- Formation of New Substance? → No, it’s still water. No.
- Sound Produced? → Maybe boiling makes a sound, but that’s not part of the evaporation itself. Probably No.
- Light Produced? → No glowing or fire. No.

✔ Conclusion for #1: Only state change and size change happen — no new substance. This is a physical change.

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Scenario 2: Bananas are ripening

Ripening involves many chemical reactions inside the banana.

- Shape Change? → Bananas may soften or bend slightly, but not dramatically. Maybe No or minor.
- Color Change? → Yes! Green → yellow → brown. Big clue. Yes.
- Formation of Bubbles? → No bubbles in ripening fruit. No.
- Odor Produced? → Yes! Ripe bananas smell sweet. That’s new compounds forming. Yes.
- Heat Produced? → Ripening releases a tiny bit of heat (respiration), but it’s not noticeable. For middle school, we can say No unless specified.
- Size Change? → They might swell a little, but not significantly. No.
- State Change? → Still solid. No.
- Formation of New Substance? → YES! Sugars, aromas, pigments all change chemically. Yes.
- Sound Produced? → No. No.
- Light Produced? → No. No.

✔ Conclusion for #2: Color change, odor, new substances — classic signs of a chemical change.

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Final Answer:
1. Physical Change
2. Chemical Change